Reunion
by Shenrezade
Summary: An explanation for those of you who wondered if I was dead or not...
1. Catching up

This's an Escaflowne fanfic series written by me, Shenrezade (But you can call me Shen.)  It's my first one, so let me know what you think.  A few things to note, though, are:

1. This is **_NOT a hentai fic.  I don't and won't do those._**

2. Just because "lover" is mentioned once or twice doesn't mean they're having h0t dr4g0n s3xx0rz.  It means they are two people.  In love.  With each other.

3. I don't own the Escaflowne Characters.  They are the property of the **_GENIUS who made this anime._**

4. Avoid scary monkeys and giant fish in bear suits.  They're bad for your health.

**Reunion******

The sun shined across the fields of Fanelia, illuminating the golden stalks of wheat with a dazzling light.  Its rays bounced across the walls of the castle, as it came to rest in the ancient audience hall, where several people stood addressing the man seated on the throne.

Van Slanzar de Fanelia, the youngest king in the old country's history, swept back a lock of hair from his eyes, as he gave those before him half of his attention.  His mind turned toward the blue star seen by everyone on Gaea.  It was known as the Mystic Moon.  He had been there once before, during his rite of passage, in which he slew a dragon.  It was there he met a girl named Hitomi Kanzaki.  A strange girl.  A girl who had mysterious powers.  A girl who had saved Gaea from destruction at the hands of its own people.  A girl with who Van had fallen in love with.

Reaching into his mind, Van passed through the millions of miles to Hitomi, their mental link having no regard to the distance.  He crept around in the back of her mind, not wanting to disturb her if she were busy.  He sensed that she was concentrating on something with all her mind.  Van quickly withdrew, back to his own business.  Focusing his attention back to the people before him, Van listened carefully to what they had to say.

It had been four years, and the rebuilding of his beloved home country was proceeding at a snail's pace.  The Castle was nearly finished, but that left the rest of the town as well as the guard walls.  Suffice to say, it would be some time before his people could return to their once proud city.  Van listened carefully to the masons, throwing in some suggestions on speeding the work up without taxing the workers to their extremes.  He also acknowledged some advice the masons gave on how to decrease the costs without cutting corners.  Their business finished, Van dismissed them to continue their work.

Sighing with exasperation, Van stood up and walked to the balcony overlooking the kingdom.  He was clad in a red sleeveless shirt and brown trousers with boots.  It was his favorite attire, and even though the nobles had asked him to dress properly as a king, he adamantly refused.  "After all," he thought to himself, "a king must have subjects, and mine are gone."  He surveyed the work being done on the city, wondering how much longer it would take to be done.  Beyond the ruined gates lay the resting place of Escaflowne, royal guymelef of the Faneliea bloodline.  After the war, he had no more use for it.

He smiled.  Thinking about the Escaflowne reminded him of the time he had spent with Hitomi.  Unconsciously, he fingered the red amulet at his neck.  It was the pendant that Hitomi wore, and had used to save him and the others countless times.  She had given it to him as a gift when she left.  He had often used it to help strengthen his link to her.  It was as dear to him as she was.

That was enough fawning.  He had matters to attend to.  Walking down the empty halls to his room, he failed to notice the fact that the only sound was his boot soles tapping along the stone floors.  Merle was away taking care of orphans from the war.  Allen had no to time to visit due to his attention to his sister Celena.  The experiments the Zaibach sorcerers had conducted on her had nearly left her empty.  That struck a sharp pang in Van, thinking back to final moments of the war.  He still recalled how he had nearly killed Dilandau.  If Allen hadn't interfered, he would have _really lost his sister forever, and it would have been Van's fault.  In his blind rage of being deprived of his revenge, he had turned his blade against Allen.  He would have killed him too, if Hitomi hadn't reached out and stopped him.  He was so full of anger and hate back then._

Seating himself at his desk, he began looking over royal documents and reports.  He had requested help from the neighboring kingdoms to rebuild Fanelia, and the responses that came were always the same.  

"We can't spare the men."

"Our own country is suffering."

"I wish we could, but…"

Of course, none of this had ever bothered Van.  It was understandable, really.  So much had been lost during the war.  Actually, if he hadn't needed it so desperately, he would never have requested help in the first place, as it sounded slightly selfish.  Leafing through the papers, he found one that made a grin that stretched from one ear to the other.  Merle's handwriting was scrawled over it.  She talked about how big the children had gotten, and how beautiful Asturia was. "Though not as beautiful as Fanelia **_will be" was scrawled hastily after it.  Ending the letter with a statement saying how much she missed him, her name had been signed at the bottom, as well as a paw-print that could only be hers.  Van chuckled to himself.  "That's so like her," he thought.  Putting it down, he leafed through the rest, picking up another one.  This one, however, had a different effect on him than Merle's._**

It was a letter from King Asturia requesting his presence.  A meeting of the Gaean nation was being held there.  Van scowled.  "I don't have time to attend meetings.  My kingdom needs me."  But, after some consideration, Van conceded.  As much as his country needed him, it was more important he attend this summit.  Not doing so might be considered by the rest of the countries as an insult.  The last thing he needed right now was to anger some pompous old men who fancied themselves rulers of men's fates.  

Folding the letter up, he placed it into his shirt pocket as he wandered out of the castle to help the masons with their work.  It wasn't really necessary he do this.  As a matter of fact, the masons always begged him not to bother with it, as they would today.  However, Van wanted to help rebuild his kingdom, and he could do that much better by toiling away with a hammer and nails than by signing meaningless decrees with a pen and paper. 

Hitomi finished her final lap around the track course.  The whistle blew and the coach told everybody to hit the showers.  Hitomi arched over, hands on her knees, as she gasped for breath.  Running was one of her favorite activities, especially since she gave up fortune-telling (just about every girl in the school protested against this).  But it always left her so breathless afterward.  Finally getting her breathing stable, she wiped her brow, and then stood up straight as she heard Yukari yelling her name.

"Hitomi, that was great!!  Perfect track record, as always!  If Amano were here, he'd envy you!"  Hitomi grinned as her friend raced over to her and gave her an enthusiastic hug.  Yukari always was an emotional.

"Don't be so flattering to me, Yukari!" Hitomi said as pulled away from her friend.  "Besides, I'll bet Amano's still twice as good as I am."  Yukari gave her a look that screamed "Yeah, right."  "Anyway," Hitomi continued, "Has he sent you any letters lately?"

            "Oh, of course!  He knows that I'd march all the way to France and wallop him if he missed sending me one!" Yukari laughed.  Amano had to leave Hitomi's freshmen year to study abroad.  But not before Yukari had admitted her feelings to him.  He was reluctant at first, due to the fact that he thought that Hitomi still wanted him.  In the end, though, Amano had been won over by Yukari's charm.  He had promised to send her letters every month.  He was in France right now, and though Yukari wouldn't admit it, Hitomi could see that she wanted nothing more than to be in the city of lovers with her own.

            Deciding to change the subject, Hitomi asked Yukari how her choir classes were going.  Yukari said their final concert was coming up, and then she'd be pretty much free the last few weeks of school.  This brought about the subject of graduation.  Both girls were as eager to be finished with High School as dog is ready to knock over trash cans.  Yukari especially, because Amano had said he'd be coming home this summer to visit her.

            The two walked back the gym, Hitomi ready for a shower, and Yukari to get any announcements she needed from the coach.  Now that she wasn't concentrating on her sprinting, Hitomi had time to remember the presence she had felt in her mind a while ago.  "It must have been Van," she thought to herself. "I wonder what he's doing now."  She smiled to herself as she thought about him.  Yukari noticed this and was quick to jump on it.

            "What are you smiling for, Hitomi?" she asked innocently.  Here came the set-up.  She knew Hitomi would only smile to herself for several reasons, and she had a pretty good idea which one it was.

            "W-what!?" Hitomi gasped, shocked back into reality.  Yukari asked again.  Hitomi turned her head and closed her eyes.  "Nothing, Yukari.  I was just… thinking about something, that's all."

            Yukari decided to up the ante.  "Something or some**_one?"  She asked, pulling around in front of her friend and placing her arms behind her back.  Hitomi's face turned scarlet, giving her the exact answer._**

            Hitomi tried to move past Yukari and make for the door.  "It's none of your business you nosy gossip."  That remark made Yukari's grin wider.  She quickly sidestepped and cut off Hitomi's route of escape.  She wasn't getting out of this _that easily._

            Yukari went in for the kill.  "Who is he, Hitomi?  Do I know him?  Is he cute?"  Hitomi scowled and tried again to move past the stubborn girl, but Yukari cut her off again.  Grinning like a maniac, she said, somewhat devilishly, "If you won't tell me, I'll have to force it out of you!"  And with that she lunged at Hitomi.

            Hitomi was caught completely off-guard.  As such, she was unable to resist when Yukari grabbed her and started tickling her.  Falling into a fit of laughter, she still refused to give in to Yukari, who had continued her assault, demanding to know who it was her friend was daydreaming about.  Soon enough, Hitomi gave in.

            "Okay!  O-ok-kay!!"  Hitomi managed to gasp between giggles.  "If I tell you what I was thinking about, do you promise not to tickle me anymore?  She looked up at Yukari in a mock plead, sticking her bottom lip out as far as it could go.

            Yukari's face contorted in a laugh at the sight of her best friend's face.  She got up and helped Hitomi to join her.  "Okay, no more tickles.  Now spill it."  She asked, eager to find out about this mystery man that made Hitomi lose her senses.

            "Okay, then." Hitomi began.  "Yes, it was a guy.  His name's Van, and no, you don't know him.  He's cute." she was going to stop with just that, but the look Yukari gave her quickly changed that idea.  "Okay, he's **_very cute.  He has beautiful black hair, reddish-brown eyes, and…" Hitomi caught herself before she said "wings", skipping instead to her last description. "And a smile lovelier than the finest painting."  She finished as she thought about what she said and brought up a mental image of Van.  She giggled inwardly.  Those things only __began to describe him._**

            "Sounds like one killer of a guy.  If I didn't love Amano like I did, I might be tempted to steal him away from you."  She teased.  Hitomi shot her a look that wouldn't have been pretty, if she knew the other girl hadn't been kidding.

            Still, all the same, she replied "Try it and I'll make sure you walk funny for the **entire time Amano's here!"  She said in a grossly exaggerated threatening stance.  Yukari again burst out laughing, and then said goodbye to Hitomi as she went off to talk to the coach.  Hitomi sighed and looked up to the sky, looking for some glimpse of the world where she had met her lover.  "I hope you're well, Van.  We can see each other later tonight."  And with that, she went off to take her shower.**

That's the end of Chapter one.  Not much, I know, but it's just to let everyone know where everyone is, and what everyone's doing, and where… every… one…  Ah, screw it.  I'm gonna go watch "Invader Zim".  Second chapter'll be up soon.


	2. The Gaean Council

Okay, here's the second chapter.  Y'know, I could think of so many better things to with my life than writing fanfics.  For example, I've always wanted to be… a _LUMBERJACK!!_

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne.  I just own a pair of Hitomi's underwear.  Yeah, baby!!

I don't know why I do this sort of thing before I write a serious fic.  It must be to get it out of my system. *Shrugs* 'Neh.

****

**Reunion******

Chapter 2

            Hitomi sat on her bed, talking to the image of Van she saw.  Even though he wasn't really there, she couldn't help but feel a little scandalous at the idea of him seeing her clad in a tank-top and small shorts.  That didn't last long before it turned to thoughts a bit more… mature in nature, though.  

            "Hitomi, is something on your mind?" Van asked, noticing the way she looked at him.  Although logically, he could just look into her mind and see what she was thinking, he didn't want to invade her private thoughts.  He might find himself red around the ears if he did, anyway.

            Hitomi snapped back to reality at the sound of his voice.  "Damn it, Hitomi, that's the second time today!" she yelled at herself.  "No, Van.  I'm all right.  I'm just enjoying your company."  She replied.  He just smiled that beautiful smile of his at her, which made her heart skip a beat.  

            "Well, if you say so, then I guess you're all right," he said.  He could tell she was lying, but that didn't bother him.  Nothing she did really could.  "That's what happens when you love someone," he thought to himself with a smile.

          Hitomi, deciding that had been enough private thinking today, changed the subject.  "So how is the rebuilding coming?  Is anything done yet?"  She was hoping that he had some positive new for her, but unfortunately, there was none.

            Van sighed and shook his head.  "Terrible," he replied.  "The castle's not even finished, and the town has hardly had any progress.  The destruction the Dragon Slayers committed was so precise that we have nothing to work with.  The entire job has been from scratch."  His eyes took on a sad look.

            Hitomi's heart reached out to him.  She hated to see Van so sad when there was nothing she could do to help him.  She could still remember the terror of that night, when Dilandau's elite soldiers, who called themselves the Dragon Slayers, massacred everyone in Fanelia and wreaked havoc on the kingdom.  She knew it was much harder on him, even though he refused to admit it.

            Seeing that her previous try had made things worse instead of better, she tried changing the subject again.  "What about the others?  How are they doing?"  Bingo.  At this, Van shook himself out of his slight depression and was his old self again.

            "They're doing great!" Van replied enthusiastically.  "Merle's having so much fun helping the orphans in Asturia.  She says that almost all have found homes."      

          Hitomi smiled warmly.  This was how she loved to see Van.  Not depressed, or as a warrior, but simply as Van.  "That's wonderful," she said.  "I'm glad to know she helped them when they needed her.  What about Millerna?"

            "She and Dryden have become engaged."  He replied.  This surprised her.  Out of anyone, Hitomi had expected the princess to become engaged to Allen Schezar.  Which brought up the Caeli Knight.  It was a subject Van was slightly tender about for various reasons.  Still, she pressed it.

            "And… how is Allen…?"

            At the name of the Knight of Heaven, Van's face took on another sad look.  Hitomi felt that it was different from the first one, though.  "He's still nursing Celena back to health.  When she had recovered on the battlefield, all she could remember were that guymelef pilot who died protecting her, and Allen."

            At the sound of Allen's sister's name, Hitomi shivered.  It was still unbelievable to know that Dilandau, the monster responsible for countless atrocities, was really Allen's sister.  But then she understood the look on Van's face.  "Van, you still feel guilty about what you almost did, don't you," she thought.  She stood up and approached him, to take hold of his hand.

            And it passed right through hers.

            "Agh, what are you doing Hitomi!?  His body's not here, just his image!" she reprimanded herself.  Smiling again, Van reached out his hand and brought it close to hers.  Thinking ahead of what he was doing, she opened her hand, palm towards him, as he lay his own against hers.  While neither could feel the other, it was still nice to imagine it.

            Taking it a step further, Van unfurled his wings, a sight that made Hitomi's breath catch in wonder, even after having seen it five times already.  He wrapped his draconian heritage around them, enclosing Hitomi and himself in pure-white feathers.  Although she couldn't feel them as they stroked her, the sight of this gave her a contented sigh.  They stayed that way until Hitomi fell asleep, and then Van took his leave of her.

****

            The chair of Ryoji Takashi slowly swiveled back and forth as he surveyed the business reports scattered helter-skelter around his desk.  He didn't have time to waste on each and every up or down flux in the market sales.  And even though his business managers might have thought otherwise, he wasn't in any hurry to read them, anyway.  His focus was on the document he currently held in his hand.  It was a slip of white paper, with only two sentences as its contents.  They simply read:

_We were successful.  The project has been secured._

Only a few words, and yet they were exactly what he wanted to hear.  Slipping the note into the breast pocket of his suit, he got up and strolled over to his screen window, surveying the streets of Tokyo below.  Slender, tall, and in his early twenties, Takashi was the owner inherent of the Paradigm Programming Corporation.  Thus he was one of the most powerful men in the world.  But power never held much taste for him.  Control was what he enjoyed.  Control over his workers, his corporation, and his business.  Such control could often be intoxicating.  

Unlike other Japanese, his hair was pure white, and had eyes that were two different colors, neither of which was standard color of an Asian.  One was silver, the other gold, and flecked with black.  Despite the fact that they managed to turn the head of everyone he passed, he worried little about his odd traits.  Why worry about something you had no control over?

He smiled to himself as he thought once again back to his note.  This was the beginning, and soon, he would have everything he had ever wanted.  He stroked the red-gemmed ring on his left finger, when his message box sounded, the secretary's voice coming in over it. 

"Takashi-san, you're 12 o'clock is here," she said as the message box silenced.

Well, enough of this for now.  Even though he could care less about his business right now, he still had to keep up appearances.  He stepped out of his office to greet his guest.

****

Van walked through the streets of Asturia, having arrived early to see his friends.  Rounding the corner, he saw the orphanage, where Merle was busy chasing down a pair of children who were apparently arguing over the possession of a toy.  Smiling he called to her and waved, although he should have known better, as he was about to discover.

Merle's sensitive cat ears perked up at the sound of a voice she knew all to well.  Completely forgetting about the children she was trying to calm down, she whipped her head around in the direction of the voice, and instantly grinned with glee.  Crouching down on all fours, Merle dashed straight at him, all the while yelling "**VAN-SAMA!!!!" with pure joy.  Having knocked him right off his feet with the force of her pounce, she immediately began to relentlessly cover him with loving cat-licks.**

Van tried to fend her off, but the determination of the cat-girl to show her enthusiasm at seeing him combined with his laughter to force him to wait.  Finally, he said "Okay, Merle, okay!!  That's enough!  I think you've made your point! Now will you please let me up?  I think you broke my legs!"  This made her stop licking, but instead of letting him up, she grabbed him in a fierce hug, apparently determined to crush his lungs as an addition to his legs.

"I'm sorry Van-sama!  I'm just so happy to see you!  Why'd you come to Asturia?  Are you finished rebuilding Fanelia yet?" she asked him.  Her tail twitched playfully as she waited for him to answer.  Unknown to her, the two children had abandoned their argument, and had crept up behind her.  Ever so slowly, the both grasped her tail and pulled.

"**_MMMMEEEEAAAUUUGGGHHHH!!!!"  Merle screamed.  She glared at the two culprits, who now looked as innocent as the day they were born.  Adjusting herself, she pounced at them, and they scattered behind Van, who had managed to get himself up, finally.  Unfortunately for him, this didn't stop Merle from trying to grab the tail-yankers.  She leaped at them, once again knocking Van over and scattering the children, who made a quick bee-line for the orphanage, laughing.  Merle's hackles were on edge, until she heard Van groan.  Looking down, he saw him spread-eagled on the ground, obviously uncomfortable.  Merle gasped.  "Van-sama!  I'm sorry!  Are you okay!"_**

Rubbing his head, Van replied "I'm fine, Merle.  Although I might have to change my clothes now."  Merle's ears drooped in shame.  Van smiled.  "Really, Merle, I'm fine.  And yes, I was busy in Fanelia, but was called here by King Aston on business.  I decided to visit you and the others."  Seeing that he was fine, Merle's ears perked up again.  "Do you know where they are?" he asked.

      She walked up and took him by the hand, pulling him along the streets.  Chatting his ears off about the kids and how she loved to walk the streets when she wasn't looking after them, she eventually led him to a large manor where the Schezar family crest was engraved on the side wall.  "Here we are!" she said cheerfully.  Van walked up to the door with her and tapped the knocker.  After a few moments, the door clicked and swung open.  At the entrance stood a tall young man with long blonde hair and ice blue eyes.  Seeing the two visitors before him, he exclaimed joyfully "Van!  Merle!  How good it is to see you!  Come in!"

Leading them into the guest room, he sat down and spoke with the two of them, asking Van how things were progressing in the rebuilding as well as other matters.  Van responded to each in turn, and then began asking how well Allen was.  Before he could answer, a young lady about Van's age entered the room.  "Allen?" she asked in a small voice.

Allen turned to give her his full attention.  "What is it, Celena?  Is everything all right?"  Van now had a chance to see Allen's sister, after hearing so much about her.  Tall, thin and frail, she had light golden hair, which hung about her face in curls.  She wore an Aqua colored dress with no sleeves and a high neck.  Looking at her, she wondered how this feeble creature could have ever been the vicious beast that had attacked towns and people, burning away everything with absolutely no remorse.  The Zaibach sorcerers must've had a time with her.

"I couldn't find you, Allen.  I looked for you all over, but you were gone.  I-I thought…" she began.  Allen walked over to her and embraced her, stroking her hair and gently whispering reassurances to her.  She hugged him back, the beginning of tears filling her eyes.  It made Van's heart wrench to see such a pitiful sight.  After a moment, he let her go and introduced them to her.  

"Celena, this is Van Slanzar de Fanel, and his sister Merle Fanel," he said, gesturing at them.  Merle walked right up and gave her a hug, to which Celena was unsure of how to react.  She looked over at Van, who hesitated for a moment before responding.

"Hello Ms." Even though he felt horrible about it, Van couldn't touch, embrace, or regard Celena in any way.  All he could see was Dilandau's mad grin and cruel snicker.  Noticing Van's lack of warmth, Celena's countenance fell.  Allen, who had also noticed Van's manner, quickly dismissed Celena, telling her that he would come see her again soon.  Celena nodded, then turned and left.  

Allen turned around and said nothing.  He knew the reason behind Van's coldness, and he didn't blame him.  Van began to apologize, but Allen held up a hand and stopped him.  "It's all right Van.  You don't have to explain anything."  He sat back in his chair, as his owl landed next to him.  Stroking its feathers, he asked "So why have you come here, Van?"

Van shifted in his seat as he responded.  "I received a letter by King Aston requesting I attend the summit of the Gaean Nation."  Allen frowned.  A month after Zaibach's war, the countries had signed an alliance agreement and came to be known as "The Gaean Nation."  The purpose of this alliance was to ensure that something like the Zaibach war never happened again, and if it did, to be as prepared as possible for it.  An annual meeting occurred, but some others were called every now and then.  This was one of those times.  However, instead of furthering the peace, most times their squabbling came closer to _causing wars than preventing them.  What did they have to speak about that required Van's presence? "Well, perhaps I'll find out for myself…" he thought.          _

Van looked at Allen's clock, and made ready to attend the summit.  "If you'll excuse me, Allen, I have to go."  He got up and made his way to the door, when Allen placed a hand on his shoulder.  Looking over his shoulder at the older man, Van was mildly surprised to see the serious look on his face.  

"I'm going to accompany you, Van.  I want to know why you need to attend the summit.  And I won't take no for an answer."  Suddenly, he grinned.  "Besides, as royalty, you need a bodyguard, right?"  The young king grinned back.  "And I'm sure that Merle would rather nail you to a wall then be out of your sight for the time that you're here, right Merle?"  Merle gave a fierce nod.  Van shook his head and chuckled.  "Okay then, it's settled.  I'll go fetch Celena and we'll be off to the castle."

****

As Van, Merle, Allen and Celena passed through the castle gates, they were greeted by four familiar faces.  Dryden, Millerna, Eries, and Mr. Mole were all awaiting at the entrance.  "It seems that Allen's owl is also a carrier pigeon," Van thought.  He greeted each of them in turn, and when he said why he came, he was surprised to find Dryden have the same reaction as Allen did.

"That's funny," Dryden said as he pushed his glasses up his nose.  "King Aston never mentioned any of this to me.  What about you?"  He asked, turning to Millerna.  She shook her head, and Eries did likewise.

"Father has not spoken to us about any of this," Millerna said, giving Van a concerned look.

"We knew about the Summit, of course," Eries continued. "But we weren't aware that father had requested Lord Van's presence specifically."  She looked troubled.  "We believed that he would realize that Lord Van was busy with the rebuilding of his kingdom to attend."  This fact didn't make Van feel very trusting.  Why _had King Aston requested his presence here, anyway?_

Suddenly Dryden grabbed him around the shoulders, taking by surprise.  "Don't worry, Van.  I'll be there attending the Summit in my Father's place.  We'll find out what's going on in there better than out here, right?"  He said, giving Van a knowing wink.

Van smiled reassuringly.  "Right Dryden.  Let's go, shall we?"

****

Seated around the council table were the rulers of Gaea's seven kingdoms.  Van, Dryden, and Chid seemed strangely out of place when compared to the older men who reigned over the remaining four.  Chid had been overjoyed to see Van again.  He had asked Van to tell him how Hitomi had been doing.  Van agreed, and Chid, satisfied, said his greeting to Dryden and returned to his seat.  Van was amazed to see how much Chid had grown and matured in these four years, even though he was still trying to be as good a ruler as his father, Duke Freid, had been.

"My fellow rulers, my friends," King Aston began as he stood up from his chair.  "I am happy to see all you here.  As a sign of our everlasting peace, I ask that we toast to our continued alliance."  There were agreements all around.  King Aston lifted his goblet, and the others followed suite.  "Well then, to Gaea!" he said, taking a deep draught.

"To Gaea!!" the others repeated loudly, following Aston's example.

He placed his goblet back on the table and seated himself.  Looking around at the other members, his gaze lingered on Van for a moment, and there was a look in his eyes that Van couldn't place.  This unsettled him a bit.  "Why did he look at me that way?"  He wondered to himself.  He didn't have long to wait for an answer.

"As you many know, Fanelia, fellow kingdom and strong ally to Asturia, was the first to fall to the sword of Zaibach.  No one here knows this as well as its king, Van Fanel." Gesturing to Van, the other rulers gave their condolences.  Van liked the situation less and less.  Why was the king mentioning an event that occurred four years ago now? 

"The destruction of this kingdom lies as a remainder of the war which we blindly turned our heads to.  As such it serves as the strongest reminder of the foolishness we had." Murmured agreements followed.  King Aston continued. "Also, we have all received letters requesting help to rebuild King Van's realm.  Sadly, the war left all of us so badly expended that we couldn't assist him.  Which brings me to why I have called you here specifically, Fanel."  Aston said, turning to Van.  Van was at a total loss.  "Is this why he called this summit?  To see if I still needed help?" Van thought.

"Van Slanzar de Fanel, I, Grava Efud Aston, petition that in order to help rebuild your kingdom, you allow it to become part of the kingdom of Asturia."  He stated.  There was a deafening silence all at once.  One part of it was the shock from Chid and Dryden of hearing such a proposal.  The other was the expectant silence from the other rulers as to what Van's reply would be.  Van himself could only stare at Aston, slightly open-mouthed at hearing something so ludicrous.  And yet, Aston stood there awaiting his decision as if he had asked Van if he liked the wine that was served.

"Y-you can't be serious," Van said.  This was madness!  He looked to Aston to see if it was some kind of joke.  If it was, Aston apparently didn't find anything particularly funny abut it.  Van's confusion slowly turned to anger.  How dare this man!  After requesting so long for help, Aston had the nerve to make this suggestion!?  Van ground his teeth together in rage.  

"Are you suggesting, Sire, that I give up Fanelia's title, heritage, and her very _soul in exchange for letting it be rebuilt?"  He asked quietly.  _

Aston was a bit taken aback by this.  "Hardly!" he replied hastily.  "Fanelia would retain it heritage and all of its resources.  It would just be known as part of Asturia's kingdom, that's all."  This didn't seem to sway Van at all.  "It would merely be…"

"It would merely be reduced to a puppet state, is all." Dryden said, matter-of-factly.  The others turned to look at him.  Feet propped up on the table, hands folded behind his head, his eyes were closed and he had a knowing smirk on his lips.  "Isn't that right, King Aston?" he asked, opening one eye to look at the king.

       King Aston's face darkened.  While he might've been Hiem's son, Dryden was a little too free with his mouth.  "Please don't jump to conclusions, Dryden," the king replied. "I merely wish to find the best way to assist King Fanel."  Van, however, didn't look like he wanted such assistance.  Still, the king had failed to seem to notice this.

"Please, your highness," said Basram's ruler.  "I know it may seem a bit odd, but King Aston only has your best interests in mind."  Van turned his head to the pudgy man.  Snorting inwardly with disgust, Van adamantly ignored him.  Others tried to convince him to agree with Aston's suggestion, but they did about as much good as a rain-storm does to an oil soaked canvas.

It was then that Chid stood up to speak his voice on the matter.  "Majesties, please."  This caused every head to turn to Chid.  "As you may recall, my country, Freid, went though something similar to this during our fight with Zaibach.  Having gone through those times, I can safely say that this isn't the right decision to be made for Fanelia."  While this did make them consider for a moment, it was Aston who broke the silence.  

"Perhaps I was a bit too… hasty with my proposal.  I suggest we adjourn for the time being and regroup later."  This seemed to be a sound idea, and the meeting was quickly adjourned.  Van wasted no time in leaving the council hall, Dryden and Chid quickly on their heels.

****

    Takashi stepped off the elevator at the basement floor that only he and a select few others knew about.  As he walked down the short hallway, he reached a door that contained no handles.  Instead, he stepped up to monitor located at the right of the door.  A small red beam was emitted that scanned his eye.  "Retina scan confirmed." It said.  "Please state your name for vocal pattern recognition."  Takashi did as the program requested.  After a moment, the computer said "Voice recognition confirmed," and opened the doors.  

Walking past the men punching away at computer terminals, Takashi went straight into the heart of the underground research facility.  There, surrounded by scientists, was a massive object.  It was built like a suit of armor, but no armor was ever _this big.  The things had to be at least seven or eight meters tall, and looked very old.  It was blackish-blue in color, and draped around its frame was a tattered cloak of blood crimson.  The ornamental work was exquisite, and would have put any modern-day designer to shame.  Its beauty almost made Takashi want to weep._

He turned to the nearest researcher.  "Well?  How is the progress?"  

The one he addressed quickly turned to answer.  "Er- well, the restoration of the object is complete.  The mechanical workings are quite remarkable.  It seems that whoever made this… whatever it is… knew full well what they doing."  The look Takashi gave him made him stutter into silence.

"Those are trivial details!" he growled.  He knew who had built the machine and how capable they had been.  Only the Atlantians could have developed this kind of technology.  "What I want to know is," he continued icily. "Is whether or not you've gotten it running yet!?"  The researcher made some more nervous stuttering sounds, and dropped his notepad and pen to the floor.  This was irritating Takashi greatly.  He advanced on the hapless researcher and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.  Bringing his face close to the frightened man, he said "Answer me.  Now."

This seemed to snap the poor man back into coherent speech.  "We haven't been able to find anything that works as an engine, sir!" he blurted out.  "We've examined the entire thing!  Everything else is there!  Pistons, gears, balancers, everything!!"  Grunting in disgust, Takashi threw the pitiful wretch to the floor.  He then stepped up to contraption, and began to circle it, examining every aspect of it carefully.  He wasn't sure why, but he knew that somehow, this object was the key to finding Atlantis.  He just had to figure out how to utilize it to his needs.  Having climbed up to the strange crystal in the left breast of what would appear to be the chest-piece, he placed his hand on it, and ran it over the crystal's surface.  What happened next was beyond anyone's expectations. 

The crystal began to vibrate dully.  This response caused Takashi's hand to snap back, causing the vibration to stop.  Curious, he placed his hand back on the crystal.  It began to vibrate again.  Pressing his palm flat against it, he concentrated with all his might.  He cried out in surprise when he saw the gem on his ring flash, causing the crystal on the machine to emit a blinding light.  He watched in wonder as the light began to shine brighter than the sun, like the beauty of God blessing him.

****

"He **_WHAT!?" Merle shrieked at the top of her lungs, causing Celena to instinctively hide behind her brother.  Merle, not noticing her outburst upsetting the other woman, continued on, tail twitching furiously.  "I can't believe it!  And I thought that Millerna's father was better than that!!  Imagine, asking you to give up your lineage to him that…"_**

At this point, Dryden decided to intercede.  "Now, now, kitty.  Don't insult the man while his daughters are here."  At this, Merle bared her fangs at him, hackles rising, to which he only grinned.  She was about to make a lunge when Millerna grabbed her by the arm.  

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't maul my fiancé _before our wedding, Merle."  She said.  "After all, I wouldn't want to marry someone who looked like he had been shipping scratching posts."  She said, smiling at Dryden.  He gave a hurt sound and placed his hand over his heart as if it were about to break._

"Gods say it isn't true!  She's only marrying me for my looks!" he said in the most pathetic tone he could muster.  He lifted his arm from his eyes to see if it had worked.  She was trying to stifle a laugh, but failing miserably.  

"There must be a good reason for this…" Allen stated.  Even though it was an extremely insane request, Allen thought he knew the king well enough to believe that he merely didn't want the control of Van's country.  "Perhaps the king sincerely does want to help Van by doing this."

Van turned the knight.  "By taking my own country away from me, you mean?  What would that accomplish?"  He asked fiercely.

Eries stepped up to face the hot-blooded youth.  "Please, Lord Van.  Don't be so quick to judge my father.  I'm sure that he's only trying to help you."  Noting that this didn't lessen his indignation, she made a suggestion.  "Perhaps he feels that it isn't right that someone so young and having gone through such hardships rule at this time?"  This seemed to calm Van down a bit.  It _did seem plausible._

"Perhaps, but I think the good king has something else as a motive."  Dryden stated.  This caught everyone's attention.  He loved being the center of attention.  Standing up, he walked over to Van, giving him a sly look.  "To be honest, I think the king wants Van's country for more profitable reasons"

Van looked at him in confusion.  Profitable reasons?  But that didn't make any sense!  "Why would Father want Fanelia, Dryden?  There's nothing of interest there," Eries replied, voicing his thoughts.  Dryden shook his head.

"On the contrary, my dear.  Fanelia has something of _great interest to Asturia.  And the other countries, as well, I might add."  Dryden said with his trademark all-knowing smirk.  "After all, Fanelia is home to the largest population of Dragons, correct?"  It was then that they caught on to what he seemed to be implying.  Chid was the first to react._

"You mean King Aston wants Fanelia for its supply of Drag-energists!?" he exclaimed.  Dryden merely nodded.  Van was speechless.  It made perfect sense.  And here he thought that Aston only wanted to make his country look bigger.  His blood boiled in fury.  Those Dragons were creatures that were respected by the people of Fanelia, and used as part of the sacred ritual of the rite of kinghood!!  What was Aston thinking!?

Unfortunately, Van didn't have time to think of an answer to that.  For at that very moment, a completely unexpected event occurred that would cause a disaster to befall Fanelia.  Lifting into the air, Hitomi's pendant began to hum and vibrate.  Van and the others watched perplexed, as it began to shimmer, then exploded with a blinding radiance.  Suddenly, Van felt a rush of air from the ground beneath him, and a blue pillar of light erupted from under his feet, carrying him upward rapidly.  He could only watch helplessly as he soared skyward, his friends desperately trying to help him.  He knew where he was going, though.  He was going to the Mystic moon.  He was going to Hitomi.

Whoo!!  What's going to happen!? Well, that's it for Chapter two.  I made this one longer so that you second-hand electric donkey bottom biters would be satisfied whilst I brain stormed ideas for Chapter 3.  Well, now.  If you'll excuse me, I have to go complain about a dead parrot that I just purchased about an hour ago!  Bye-ee!!              


	3. Arrival

*Is eating ice cream and notices readers* What?  Are you still here?  Shouldn't you people be surfing for pr0n, or something?  Ah, well.  I might as well entertain you moochers.

Disclaimer:  I don't own "Escaflowne".  I _do own the character of Ryoji Takashi, and the Guymelef Agamemnon. Anybody who thinks otherwise shall be placed into a room with a ****__MOOSE!!_

Dedicated to Charmin.  Those self-appreciating bastards, who think that they can get away with anything they want just because they're "Squeezabley soft"!!  They'll get what's coming to them sooner or later.  Oh yes… they will….

****

**Reunion******

Chapter 3:

            Takashi had to close his eyes to block out the glaring light.  He would have much rather kept them open, but he wanted to see Atlantis when he got there.  Unfortunately, he was not to reach his goal this day, as fate had other plans in mind.  A shockwave that had exploded from within the armor shot him off of it, dazed.  Shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears, he looked up and gasped.

            Right in front of the ancient machine was a pillar of blue light.  The light created by the suit of armor paled in comparison to this.  It stayed for a second or more, as those gathered watched it in wonder.  Then it faded, and revealed a young man of eighteen or nineteen floating gently to the ground to touch down.  He opened his eyes, obviously relaxed.  His eyes opened slowly, and apparently didn't like what they saw, because he automatically shifted his position, hand on the sword at his hip, and standing on the balls of his feet.  Grasping the sword firmly, he looked around and said some gibberish in an unknown language.  

            The researchers could only stare open mouthed.  They had never seen anything like this occur before.  To see that light show and be greeted with an encore performance complete with a performer was too much for them to comprehend in such short order.  Takashi, on the other hand, was enthralled.  While it wasn't as good as being taken to Atlantis, having someone show up like this must have been a good portent.  Without hesitation, he quickly leapt to his feet, and called for security.  He wasn't going to let something like this get away so easily.

            Van wasn't quite sure what had gone wrong.  He had sailed on the wings of pillar of light, expecting to be taken to Hitomi.  Instead, he found himself in some unknown building, surrounded by people he didn't know.  He had tried to find out where he was by demanding to know his location, but it didn't do any good.  "Damn," he thought to himself.  "I forgot that only Hitomi can understand me!!" 

            While he didn't know where he was, or why he was here, he knew that he had to leave, fast.  A man with white hair had said something that didn't sound particularly friendly, and suddenly red colored lights started flashing while some hideous noise began blaring.  Looking around for an exit, Van's eyes came to rest on what was directly behind him.  His eyes widened in surprise.

            Standing directly behind him was his Guymelef, Escaflowne!!  No, wait, something was different about this one.  It was a different color and the shoulder-pads and helm were shaped differently.  Still, it was his only way out of here, and he decided to take it, being given no other alternative he could see.  He made up his mind when he heard what sounded like a group of people running in his direction.  Leaping up to the entrance key, he clicked it and jumped inside.

            Grabbing hold of the arm controls, he tried to manipulate it.  No response.  Furiously, he pumped the leg and arm joints, trying to get it to move.  The machine refused to obey.  The men had gathered around the melef, holding weapons Van had never seen before.  Realizing that he was getting no where, Van suddenly noticed there was no energist inside the melef's power gem.  Cursing, he reopened the cockpit, and locked his eyes on the door where the soldiers ("They have weapons," he thought.  "What else could they be?") had come from.  Short distance, so he should easily be able to make it if he flew.  Just as the soldiers lowered their weapons at him, his feathers burst from his back, and he took flight.

Everyone's breath caught as the intruder suddenly sprouted wings from his back.  Hopping off the suit, he flew straight towards the only exit.  Takashi beat one the guards over the head and shouted "Don't just stand there, you idiots!!  Fire at him!  He's getting away!"  This seemed to snap the others back into reality, as they aimed for the boy.  They quickly opened fire, grazing him around the arms.  The boy faltered, but continued for the exit.  "Don't kill him!  Aim for his wings!  Any man who kills him will have to answer to me!!" Takashi bellowed.  

They quickly re-adjusted their aim, setting their sights on the pair of down trailing from the boy's shoulder blades.  This time, he was a bit more careful about getting hit, however.  He ducked and swerved, performing aerial stunts that only skilled pilots could manage.  However, in such a small space, with so many bullets flying, it wasn't long before several hit their mark.  Blood trailed from the tattered wing, as it beat feebly at the air, trying to aid its fellow.  It ended up, though, being a futile attempt, as the boy went down in a flurry of crimson and white.

"Quickly!  Secure him!" Takashi barked.  Several guards had flanked to the boy's side, hoisting him upward.  Takashi slowly joined them, circling around front to see the mysterious young man who God had so graciously delivered.  He grabbed the boy's chin and yanked it to the left, making sure that there were no head wounds.  It was then that he noticed his ring pulsing with a faint light again.  Curious, his eyes trailed down to the boy's chest, where a pendant hung, with the same red stone.  Takashi grabbed it, causing the boy to tense angrily.  Takashi yanked it off of the boy and held it close to his ring.  Both of the gems pulsed rhythmically with the same dull glimmer.  He smiled to himself, until the boy said something that had caught his ear.  Turning, he saw the child struggling to get away from his captors.  Breaking them off him, he drew his sword and lunged at Takashi.  

            Finding a sword pointed directly at his throat, Takashi's eyes trailed along the length of its blade and to the young man's face, which was contorted in fury.  Looking straight at him, the boy said something more in that strange language of his, punctuating it by driving the sword so close that it pricked Takashi's skin.  Takashi raised the pendant up, and shifted his eyes to the pendant and back to the boy's face.  "You want this, correct?" he questioned ever so slightly, so as not to drive the blade into his Adams apple accidentally.  The boy nodded.  "Too bad," Takashi smirked.  "I'm afraid it's mine, now."  

The boy's face darkened further, as he prepared to shove the blade through Takashi's neck.  He never got the chance, though, as one of the guards had managed to sneak up behind him and drove the back of his rifle into the boy's head.  His eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he keeled over, the sword clattering uselessly to the floor.  Takashi tossed the pendant to one of the researchers, who had all been staring dumbfounded by the flurry of events that had just taken place.  He caught it numbly, and Takashi said "That contains the power source for the suit of armor.  Study it and replicate it.  And make it quick."  The researcher nodded, and they left, running as quickly as possible to complete their task.  With that, he turned to the unconscious body that lay on the floor.  "Take him to one of the holding cells.  I want to have him studied."  With that he turned towards the elevator, heading back up to deal with the peons who managed his business.

****

            Hitomi sat at her desk, reading a book.  It was one of her favorites, and was currently in the middle of it, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye.  Turning her head, she saw a pure white feather sitting on her desk.  She smiled warmly.  "Van…" she thought to herself.  "He must have sent this here."  She stretched out a tentative hand, seeing as how the last time she saw one of his feathers here, it burst and disintegrated into a million points of light when she touched it.

            Setting her hand on the feather, she waited.  Nothing happened.  Cautiously, she picked it up.  It _felt solid; maybe it was really here.  Stroking it lightly, she held it closer to her, and smelled it, relishing in Van's smell.  Closing her eyes, she became intoxicated with it.  It was then she felt something warm and moist on her hand.  Puzzled, she looked down to see what it was.  And almost dropped the feather in shock.  No longer was it a pure white feather, but a tattered mockery of one that was covered in blood.  Horrified, she stared waveringly at it, feeling it grow hot suddenly.  It was then that the tip of the feather burst into flame, traveling down its length.  Hitomi gave a cry as she dropped it, feeling the heat burn her fingers.  Looking down, she saw the last of the feather burn as it turned into ash, and scattered on the wind, with a sound similar to that of someone screaming in pain, far away._

            Hitomi gazed at the spot where the feather had been, fear welling up inside her.  Was this a vision?  "No, it had felt too real," she thought as she rubbed her fingers where the flame had burned them.  Besides, she hadn't had one of those since her time on Gaea.  But that was definitely not normal, and she knew that it had been one of Van's feathers.  No bird's feather was so white and smelled like he did.  "Has something happened to Van?  She wondered aloud.

            She had to be sure.  Closing her eyes, she felt her way to Van's mind.  When she reached there, she was met with… Emptiness.  Probing for some stray thought, she found nothing.  His mind had completely ceased functioning.  That wasn't a good sign.  It could only mean two things.  That Van was unconscious, or that he was…  "**_NO!!   Don't you dare think that Hitomi Kanzaki!" she told herself.  Van was alive.  He __had to be!  She needed him to be…  Worriedly, she sat with her hands clasped before her and her forehead resting against them.  It was then that the doorbell rang._**

            "Hey, Hitomi!!  Hitomi!!!" someone yelled from the front door.  Hitomi, broken from her thoughts, looked out the window.  Yukari was shouting for Hitomi to get her butt out of the house.  "It's Tuesday!!  Our weekly mall trip's today, remember?"  Hitomi's memory suddenly came back to her.  She had promised Yukari that she would go to the mall today with her.  But she couldn't get her mind off of Van.  "What if something's happened to him?" she thought.  Tossing her predicament back and forth, she finally decided to go with Yukari, and try to contact Van every hour.  "It's definitely better than sitting here worried to death," her mind reasoned with her.  Leaning out the window, she called "Okay, Yukari!  I'll be right down!"  she said, changing into something more appropriate for the mall.  "I just hope I can talk to Van…" she told herself quietly.

****

            Shaking his head groggily, Van looked around at his surroundings.  The room he was in was unlike any he had seen before.  The walls were pure white, and so was the bed he was sitting on.  Everything seemed to meld right in with each other.  He could find no sign of a door or window anywhere.  He reached down to see if his sword were still there.  There wasn't any sign of it, of course.  He didn't expect there to be, but it would have been nice if there were.  However, he soon forgot about his sword when he reached up to grab Hitomi's pendant.

            Not there.

            Of course.  It all came back to him now.  He was on the Mystic Moon, in a place that wasn't anywhere he should have been.  The last thing he remembered was that man with white hair, holding up Hitomi's pendant and saying something.  Van couldn't understand him, of course, but he could tell that the man had asked him something about the pendant.  Van had assumed the stranger was asking if he wanted it back.  When he wouldn't return it, Van was about to kill him, when suddenly everything went black, and he woke up here.

            But just where was "here"?  Van knew that since he wasn't dead, the man had something else for him in mind.  But what?  Van came from Gaea, so there was nothing he had that would be any interest to him.  And even if there were, Van couldn't understand him, nor could the man understand Van.  So what was the reason for this?  He sat there pondering this, when he heard a noise behind him, and then the sound of someone entering the room.

               "Ah, I see we're awake now.  Did we have a good sleep?"  Takashi asked politely.  The boy didn't respond, but instead climbed off the bed warily.  Of course, the fact that this boy couldn't speak a word of Japanese didn't really help.  Takashi grinned warmly.  "Well, you better hurry.  We have a busy day today.  Wouldn't want to get off to a bad start, now, would we?"  The boy remained silent.  Takashi noticed that he had managed to get a response of sorts out of him, though.  He stood there clenching and unclenching a hand in anger.  "Is something wrong?" he asked mildly.  "I couldn't help but notice that you seem a bit upset."  Although he knew the boy couldn't understand a word being said, he must've struck a cord, because the boy leapt at Takashi with a furious yell.  Sidestepping nimbly, he pulled a hypo-spray out of his pocket and grabbed the boy's arm, quickly inserting it.  The boy's muscles went limp, and he fell over, once again unconscious.  He signaled for the guards to take the boy and follow him.  It was time to see if this boy really was an Atlantian.

            Van woke up to find himself strapped to a table.  "Dammit," he thought.  "That's twice now!"  Trying to escape his bonds, he quickly found that it wasn't much use.  Growling in frustration, he sat and waited for something to happen.  Nothing.  It went on like that for a few minutes, until finally the door opened and a man wearing white clothes stepped in.  The white mask he wore reminded him of Millerna when she had treated patients.  Taking a piece of cotton, he began to swab Van's arm with it.  He didn't like where this was going.  The doctor pulled a needle from a drawer, and filled it up with a strange looking liquid.  Turning to Van, he walked over and positioned himself above the place he had just swabbed with cotton.  Inserting the needle, Van grunted in pain as something shot through his arm.  After a moment, he couldn't feel anything, then all of a sudden, his muscles began to relax.  So relaxed, that he couldn't move them.  Van couldn't understand what the point of this was.  

            Apparently, though, they hadn't finished.  Rolling in some kind of machine, they removed his restrains and took off Van's shirt and pants, leaving him clad only in his small-clothes.  After this, they removed some items off of the machine, and began to apply them to Van's skin.  After placing them on various points of Van's body, including his legs, arms and chest, they turned back to the machine and flipped a switch on it.  Hearing a low humming sound, Van wondered what has happening, when all of a sudden something began to tingle lightly.  It jolted Van's systems and continued to electrocute him without letting up.  Van grit his teeth to try and block out the pain, but the medicine he was shot with before prevented him from doing that.  Then suddenly, the machine stopped, leaving him panting.  The doctors wrote down something while watching him out of the corner of their eyes.  Van could only wonder why they were doing this to him.

            Having finished their writing, they turned back to the machine, and flipped the switch again.  Once more, the machine gave a low hum, before sending a shock through his body.  This time, though, the pain was intensified.  He began to convulse with the magnitude of it.  His body was on fire, and it was slowly consuming him.  He couldn't stand it.  But he refused to scream with the pain.  His body cried out for him to, but his pride wouldn't let him break before these men.  Gods, the pain was excruciating!!  He could hardly bear it!  But still he kept his mouth shut.  There was no way he would scream for mercy to them.  Then, thankfully, the pain stopped.  He breathed slowly, taking in as much air as his body could.  He twitched slightly, still feeling some of the pain coursing through him.  Why were they doing this to him?

****

            "What about this one, Hitmoi?"  Yukari asked, holding up another skirt to Hitomi.  

"What?" the other girl asked.  "Oh, that looks great Yukari!"  It fits you perfectly."  She replied automatically.  Yukari lowered the dress and gave her friend a dirty look.  She had said the same thing about _every dress Yukari had showed her.  The girl just wasn't paying any attention.  _

"Hitomi, how many dresses have we looked at today?" she asked.  Hitomi just nodded.  "Y'know, I don't think you should have worn that, it makes your ass look big." She prompted.  That _always sent her into a uproar.  This time Hitomi just said thank you.  Getting very frustrated with her friend's space-out, Yukari said "Hitomi, your hair's on fire."  She just brushed a stray lock from her forehead.  Putting the dress back on the rack, she stormed over, grabbed the other girl by the shoulders and shook her fiercely screaming "****__HITOMI!!!!"_

That got her attention.  Hitomi cried out and said "Geez, Yukari!!  What's wrong!?"  Yukari let her go and stood back, hands on her hips.

"What's wrong is that you've been totally out of it since we got here!  Just what's wrong with you today?" she demanded.  At this Hitomi shrank back.  She lowered her head and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry, Yukari," she replied, not lifting her head.  I just had my mind on something else, that's all.  I haven't really been focusing on dresses."  She said sheepishly.  Yukari sighed with exasperation.  Hitomi must've been thinking about that guy she told her about the other day.  What was his name?  Van, she recalled.  She folded her arms across her chest and heaved another sigh.

"It's okay Hitomi.  You're thinking about that guy again, aren't you?"  Hitomi nodded.  Looks like she was right. "Look, why don't we get something to eat, and you can tell me what going on?"  At this, though, Hitomi shook her head.  

"No, Yukari.  I'm okay, really!  But, if the offer still stands, I'll take you up on it," she said, grinning hopefully.  Yukari just laughed.  

"Well, I _was going to pay for your meal, seeing as how you were acting so weird, but now I think you can pay for your own," she said.  "In fact," she stated, eyeing Hitomi's purse, "I think you still owe me for the ****__last time I bought you a mercy lunch!"  And with that she swiped Hitmoi's purse, laughing.  _

"Hey!!  You come back here right now with my purse Yukari!" she yelled, running after her friend.  "I mean it!  You bring it back here or I'll _take it from you!" she said._

At this Yukari turned her head around and stuck her tongue out.  "You'll have to catch me, Ms. Marathon!" she shouted back.

Hitomi just smirked determinedly.  "Oh, that's it!  Now you're going to get it!"  She said, pumping her legs to catch up to the purse culprit.  And so they chased each other around the mall until they finally ran out breath, deciding to get some water instead.

****

            Van lay on his bed, having been escorted (more like _dragged) back to his room by the white-haired man.  It had been the same all day.  They had used that machine to send nerve-wracking pain through him all day.  Only stopping to jot down notes or to feed him, they'd start up again when he had recovered enough.  He couldn't resist or fight back, because his body wouldn't respond to his brain thanks to that stuff they had given him.  Thankfully, they hadn't gone any higher than what they had coursed through him the second time.  Still, each session had been progressively longer, until it had gotten to the point where he had passed out from the pain.  When they had brought him back here, he didn't move a muscle, just resting and recovering his strength.  He hadn't been sitting on the bed long, though, before he heard the door open again.  He looked over to see who it was.  The white-haired man had come back, and was standing in the doorway.  "Just go away, I can't take any more," he thought.  However, he sat bolt upright when hearing the man say something to him.  He ran through it in his mind again to make sure he had heard it right.  He had._

The white-haired man had clearly said, "Sce tarvon ne Atlantis?" which translated into "Where did you come from, Atlantian?"

    This was impossible.  The man wasn't speaking Gaen, of course.  He was speaking Draconian.  But how?  The only way he could know that language was if he had studied it, or if… "No, that's not possible," Van thought.  "There aren't any left here on the Mystic Moon."

Takashi's smirk spread into a smile upon seeing the boy's face.  He **_had understood what Takashi said.  Excellent.  Perhaps he was an Atlantian.  He decided to repeat himself.  "Where have you come from, Atlantian?  I know you can understand me, so there's no use in pretending you can't." he said.  The boy stood up, but apparently hadn't recovered yet, because he almost immediately fell back down.  It was almost comical to see him try so hard.  But Takashi wasn't in much mood for laughing.  He wanted answers and this boy could give them to him._**

            Supporting himself using the bed post, the boy glared at him.  It was remarkable how even after going through the electric shock therapy, he still managed that prideful look.  He could be someone to admire, if he weren't so stubborn.  "What does such a question matter to you?" the boy shot back.  This was going to take some time.  At least they had managed to speak to each other.  So he was making some progress.  A small, infinitesimal amount of progress.  "How do know you my language?  Only Draconians can speak it."  Draconian?  Takashi had never heard this word before.  Still, the boy doubted.  Perhaps if he were to see some proof…

            "Hmmm.  You don't seem to understand, boy.  You have something I want.  The information on how to pilot that suit of armor you saw when you came here," Takashi said, taking off his suit coat and undoing his tie.  "I don't know what the thing runs on, or how it's operated, but you do," he said, now having removed his shirt.  "And perhaps seeing this will persuade you to help me," he finished, locking eyes with the boy.  With a scattering of feathers, wings sprouted from his back.

            "He's a Draconian, too," Van thought to himself.  "But that's impossible!  I thought there were none on the Mystic Moon!  So then, why is he here?"  Van could only stare in shock at the fact that he was looking at another Draconian.  It was just too mind -boggling.  The other man didn't think so, though.  He still had his eyes concentrated on Van, waiting for him to say something.  Van turned his head away and said "You stole my possessions, imprisoned me, tortured me, and now you expect me to help you?"  The man said nothing.  "I'm finished speaking with you.  Leave me."  The man said nothing, gathered up his garments and went to the door.  Before heading out, he stopped.

            Turning his head back to face Van, he said "It really doesn't matter in the long run.  Sooner or later you'll see things my way.  I had hoped you would cooperate now, so that we could avoid anything unpleasant."  With that, he left.  Van, wondering what the man meant, let go of the bedpost and sank back onto the bed.  He drifted off to dreamless sleep, to exhausted to stand anymore.

****

            Hitomi lay in her room, her stomach knotted in fear.  She had tried to connect to Van several times while at the mall, and had only succeeded once.  What she had found caused her to exit almost immediately.  Van was screaming in pain, feeling his body suffering and burning, but unwilling to scream verbally, and having to resort to doing it mentally.  The sound of his pained yells echoing across his mind was too much for Hitomi to bear.  She left almost immediately.  "Van…" she said.  "Where are you?  Who's doing this to you?"  Unable to receive any answers, she turned over and went to sleep.

            She was running through the halls of a crumbled, ancient Fanelia.  She wasn't sure what she was doing here, but it was she knew it was important.  Twisting down first one moss-covered wall then another, she ran through the castle until she reached the throne room doors, slightly unhinged and rotting slowly.  Trembling, (why was she trembling?) she slowly opened the door, and looked into the throne room.  There was nothing there.  The throne was rusted and decaying, and the walls and pillars eroded and crumbling.  She didn't know why, but her heart ached to see this sight, and even more to see the throne empty.  Even as she wondered why she felt this way, a voice from behind answered her.  "It's because he isn't here, Hitomi."

            Gasping, she whirled around, face to face with a man who was much older than she, with blue hair and tear tattooed under his left eye.  As soon as she saw him, though, she lost her fear.  "Folken…?" she asked.  He nodded, saying nothing.  "What are you doing here?  Why does Fanelia look like this?  Where is Van?"  Folken didn't answer.  He merely looked at her sadly.  She couldn't understand why he wasn't answering her for.  "Folken please!   I need to know," she pleaded.  He sighed.

            Looking around him, he waited for a moment before replying to her questions.  "In truth, Hitomi, neither of us are here.  This is Fanelia in a future time.  And Van is not here because…" he paused.  Why was he acting like this?  "Van," he continued, "is not here because he is dead, Hitomi."  She gasped.

           "No…" she said.  No, it can't be…  It _can't!!" she cried.  This was all some sort of mistake!  Van couldn't be dead.  He couldn't be!!  This must have been some kind of nightmare!  She just had to wake up, and Van would be alive.  She turned and closed her eyes hard, trying to wake up.  She started when she felt hands on her shoulders.  If this were a dream, she wouldn't have felt them.  She turned to face Folken.  "Van's… dead?" she asked softly._

            Folken nodded.  He looked around the ruined hall.  "When I died, Hitomi, I was able to see the past, present, or future at will.  I saw this future, which troubled me.  'If the fighting were over,' I thought, 'Then why has nothing changed?'  It was because something has happened that shouldn't have.  Atlantis' power was released."  He finished.  Hitomi's eyes widened.  She couldn't believe what she had heard.

            "B-but Dornkirk was…" she started.  "Zabaich had been…" Folken said nothing.  "Folken, Dorkirk's Fate Alteration Machine was destroyed by Van.  Zabaich was defeated!" she said.  She had been there!  "Were there some survivors of Zabaich?"  Folken shook his head.  "It's not Zaibach?"  she asked herself.

            Apparently hearing her question, he anwered.  "No.  Zabaich did not cause this to happen to Gaea.  It was done by something else.  Something much more sinister than Zaibach."  He looked towards the throne again.  "It might have been avoided, if you and Van had been here to stop it."  He said.  Hitomi suddenly looked up at him.

            "Folken, you said that Van died," she said.  "Can you show me what happened to him?  Can you take me to Van?" she asked.  Folken hesitated.  He searched her eyes, and then looked away.

            "I don't think you want to see it, Hitomi," he replied.  "It might be too much for you to bear."

            Too much?  She didn't care.  If she wanted to save Van, she had to know where he was.  She stepped back into his line of sight.  "Please Folken," she pleaded.  "I have to know!  I have to know if there's a way to save Van!"  Folken looked directly at her, and then sighed.

            "You truly are a strong and determined girl, Hitomi," he thought to himself.  "Very well, Hitomi.  I'll show you what happened to Van."  He gently took hold of her hand, and the ruined castle of Fanelia began to blur and fade, and they found themselves in a darkened room.  Hitomi looked around for some way to tell where she was, but it was so dark, there was no way she could she anything.  Looking ahead, though, she saw something that made her gasp. 

            There, kneeling and confined in a steel collar and chains, was Van.  Standing before him was someone who she'd never seen before.  Unconcerned with him, she turned back to Van, only to stifle a scream.  Blood was running freely down his arms and legs, as large, iron blades were pierced straight through Van's elbows and knees.  Gritting his teeth to bear the pain, he said something to the other man through clenched teeth.  The first man sighed and responded, but Hitomi couldn't make out what it was.

            The scene shifted.  This time, Van hung from the ceiling in chains.  The man from before was standing in front of Van again, and Hitomi watched, horrified, as several men inserted wire hooks into the areas right where Van's ribs were.  When she took a closer look at Van this time, she noticed that something was wrong.  Blood was dripping down the side of Van's cheek that was turned away from her.  She moved to a spot where she could see him better and clasped her hands to her mouth.  Where Van's right eye had been, there was now only an empty socket.  She began to feel bile rise in the back of her throat.  The man looked up at Van and asked him something.  Van shook his head, weakly, and replied.  The man nodded to those who held the hooks.  Hitomi tried to turn away, but stood rooted to the spot, transfixed, and they pulled, stretching Van to the breaking point.  His screams of agony tore into her heart like a knife.  He coughed up blood, and she felt herself retch.  

            Once again, the scene altered.  This time, Van was on his back, stretched across a mortar block.  Hitomi cried silent tears when she saw that Van's other eye as well as one of his hands was gone, as well.  Why was that man doing this?  Why was he torturing Van?  This time, she had heard some of the conversation between Van and the man.  "….ease, make this easy on yourself.  Help me.  I really don't enjoy doing this to you."  Van, with barely enough strength to lift his head, replied weakly "..can't…. won't let… you… have… Atlantis'…"  Atlantis?  What did this man want with Atlantis?  "I suppose you think yourself honorable, don't you?"  the man asked, with a tone of sincerity.  He gestured, and a man carrying a hot iron poker came forward.  He began to slowly draw it up and down Van's back.  At first, he held on, but in a few moments he began screaming as burns were being raked across his body.  Smoke began to rise from his back as his skin began to melt in some places, revealing the muscle and bone beneath.  His screaming continued to the point where Hitomi clasped her hands over her ears in anguish and slid slowly to the floor, silent sobs hitting her.  Oh, God!!  Why wouldn't someone make it stop?

            The scenes shifted continuously like that.  Each was a different and more painful form of torture, and each time the man asked Van to help him.  Each time Van refused, and was punished because of it.  Hitomi was beyond trying to be strong anymore.  Seeing Van in such pain caused her more anguish than she could bear.  If Folken hadn't been there with her, she might've died watching this.  Finally, Van had been reduced to nothing more than a misshapen heap.  Hitomi sobbed as she realized she would never have recognized this mass of burns and cuts if she hadn't seen it happen to him piece by piece.  His eyes, nose, hands and feet had all been removed.  He had blood all over him from various cuts, and burns from where the poker had been applied.  Parts of his body had been broken, and not allowed to reset properly.  Hitomi couldn't stand to look at him.  The man knelt down, and asked his question one final time.  Crying, Van refused at first.  But as he continued, he agreed to tell the man what he wanted to know, just so long as he be allowed to die afterward.  The man agreed.  

Hitomi could only put her face in her hands, as she wept over Van's pleading to have his life end.  She couldn't bear it.  Folken placed a hand on Hitomi's shoulder.  She looked up, tears streaming down her face.  "F-Folken…" she gasped between sobs.  "Isn't there any-any way that w-we can help him-m?" she looked to his face, hoping, praying for some answer, some way…  Folken just lowered his head, a single tear running down his cheek, as he replied. 

"No Hitomi.  If he was on Gaea, there would be a way, but he is on the Mystic Moon, of which I have no knowledge."  She could only look back at the sight of Van, _her Van, lying dead as a mangled heap of flesh.  She totally gave herself over to her emotions.  She couldn't take it.  It wasn't fair!!  He shouldn't have to die!  Not like this!  Folken said sadly, "I'm sorry" and with that, everything around her faded from existence, leaving her alone._

She woke up with a start.  She suddenly remembered her dream, and the tears came to her again.  She grabbed her pillow and held it close to her, as she thought about Van and what would happen to him.  Van was going to die, and there was nothing she could do to help him.  Nothing.  She wept into her pillow, the weeping giving way to sobs, and sobs turning into howls of grief, the darkness of the night her only companion.

****

Whelp, that's it.  Hitomi's miserable, Van's gonna die, and Fanelia and the rest of Gaea is screwed.  It was a great Fanfic while it lasted, though, wasn't it?  Well, bye now!!

*turns to leave and runs into a **_very large crowd of Van-lovers* Oh, hey ladies!  Heh-heh, didn't see you there.  So, how'd you like the fic?  *They all whip out ropes and various unpleasant things* Oh triple-poopie.  _**

*Runs away screaming from the VLs* Okay, okay!!  I'll write another chapter!!  It'll be up soon!!  Just let me live!!!  


	4. The reunion

Right, so I don't feel any need to recap since we have a frikkin' chapter select button right there.  It's _right there!!! *points at the chapter selection menu* I'll just say we're at chapter four.  And I'm totally not continuing this because there's an alarmingly large number of Van groupies behind me with any number of things that can cause me bodily harm.  It's because I love my readers.  Really, it is._

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, just the characters of Ryoji Takashi and the guymelef Agamemnon.  But frankly, their rates are pretty high, so I might just have to go through re-negotiations…

Dedicated to Mr. T, cause he threatened to throw me hella' far if I didn't.

****

            It had been three weeks since Van's disappearance in the pillar of Light.  While Allen had hoped for the best, he couldn't be sure that Van was all right.  The Mystic Moon was a dangerous and unknown place, even for someone like Van.  Of course, pondering over these matters wasn't going to make him come back.  Gods, please let him be safe with Hitomi!!

            Allen was snapped out of his thoughts by a hand on his.  He looked into a pair of blue eyes framed by light golden locks.  He sighed in relief.  "Celena…"  He gently placed his other hand on top of hers and asked what was wrong.  

            "It's just that… you've been acting so strange ever since that man disappeared…" she replied.  She looked into his searchingly.  What was she looking for?  "What's so important about him, brother?  Why is everyone so concerned over him?"  She waited for him to answer, all the while never taking her eyes of his.

            Allen sighed.  It was hard for Celena to understand some things, having been imprisoned within Dilandau for so long.  "Celena, we're worried about him because he's an important friend of ours."  Celena said nothing.  Allen, after pausing for a moment, continued.  "Aside from that, his country is in danger of being allocated as a province of Asturia.  Without him here to defend it, it's likely that that allocation will occur, and there's nothing any of us can do to stop it."

            This part was what concerned Allen the most.  While Van was here, there was still a solid reason not to go through with this.  After all, Van was the ruler of Fanelia, and he had the final say on whether or not the decision would be made.  But with him gone and no successor to the throne the decision was left up to a majority vote.  And Allen could guess that there would be more supporters for King Aston rather than Dryden and Chid.  Why hadn't he returned yet?  Had he abandoned his responsibilities?  No, that wasn't it.  As much as he loved Hitomi, he knew Van wouldn't leave his country for her.  Besides, Hitomi wouldn't want Van to do that anyway.  The only likely answer, then, was one that Allen didn't want think about.

            Celena lowered down on her knees to look him in the eyes.  Looking into them, Allen felt reassured.  He had never noticed what a difference it made to have a family member alive.  It had been so long that it was something new and foreign to him, but he enjoyed it.  "Brother," she said, "I don't understand any of this.  But I do know that you must believe in your friend if you want to save him."  She then leaned her head on his shoulder, squeezing his hand.  "Your friends lose all their hopes only we give up on them.  You of all people should know this, having never given up thinking I was alive."  Allen smiled.  She was right.  Even though he had many things to teach her, he never failed to learn something from her.  She fell asleep after a while, and he carried her off to her room, tucking her in and then retiring to his own chamber

****

            Van had lost track of time.  He could only feel the pain, now.  Ryoji, the man who had imprisoned him here, had started things normally at first.  After asking Van to show him how to pilot the Guymelef and being refused, he never said a word about it afterward.  Then he had told Van he had wanted to run some "tests".  Van had been forced to endure indescribable pain, run for hours at a time, and fight for long periods, among other things.  The "simulator" Ryoji had developed for him was unlike anything Van had ever seen before.  One moment, Van would be standing alone in a room, and the next, he would be fighting tooth and nail against a "hollow-graham."  When asked why he was doing this, Ryoji had answered by telling Van about something he had previously not known about his race.

            "Did you think that wings were the only thing Atlantis gave us, brother?" at the name Van had scowled and demanded to be called something else.  Ryoji just laughed.  "We were given accelerated abilities.  Strength, speed, stamina, intelligence….  All of a human's traits were three fold within us.  I'm sure you might've wondered how you were able to keep up with some of your enemies at your age, haven't you?"  Van had always attributed it to the fact that he was raised in Fanelia and trained by Balgus.  "Oh, you are quite capable, to be sure, but that wouldn't have helped you.  It's thanks to your heritage that you are so powerful."  Needless to say, this had surprised Van a bit.  "Of course, thanks to the tests I've done on your blood samples, it turns out you don't benefit from the full treatment, because you're only half Atlantean.

            It was shortly after that that Ryoji had approached Van about Atlantis itself.  He knew that Van must have been there.  Based purely on presumption or not he knew.  He had asked Van to help him, and show him the way to get there.  Van, having seen what Atlantis' power was capable of, was quick to refuse.  This hadn't made Ryoji too pleased.  After requesting a few more times, he changed his tactics to something more primal.  When Van wouldn't cooperate, Ryoji had him tortured.  They had been bearable at first, but now Van was succumbing to them, slowly.  Ryoji had always made sure to end it before Van got too seriously hurt.  He didn't want his only way to get what he wanted to die accidentally, but now his patience was wearing thin.  

            At first, Van fought.  He struggled against the tortures and his captors, and always kept a look out for a way to escape, but to no avail.  Still he never stopped trying.  But that was before it happened.  

            She wasn't there.

            Before, Van could always feel his link with Hitomi.  He could always feel her at some magnitude in the back of his mind.  But recently, her presence had begun to fade.  It gradually decreased until he could feel nothing anymore.  He tried to reach out to her, but by this time, the pain had become so great that he couldn't concentrate.  So he stopped trying.  Stopped trying to escape, or fight.  The only thing that kept him from giving in to Ryoji was his desire to keep anyone from gaining hold of Atlantis' power again.  But still, he couldn't help but wonder why.  Why had the person he loved abandon him?

****

            For the fifth time that day, Yukari looked over at her friend.  And grew concerned over what she saw.  Hitomi didn't look much different, to be sure.  She laughed, smiled, joined in conversations like normal.  She had even hugged Amano when he had come back.  As a matter of fact, the three of them were walking thorough the park to a picnic right now.  But to Yukari, who had known Hitomi all her life, it all seemed to be some sort of facade.  Like Hitomi had put on a mask or something.  This thought was reconfirmed whenever Yukari looked at her when she knew Hitomi wasn't looking.  She had this empty look on her face, as if everything she loved in life had just left her.  And Yukari just couldn't figure out why.

            Amano stopped on a hill and looked around.  "This looks like a good spot."  He turned to Yukari.  "You can see the lake from here.  It'll make for a great view, right 'hon?" she turned back to him and gave him a smile.  He was so handsome, it was she could do not to start making out with him right on the spot.  Thankfully Hitomi's mood helped keep Yukari's head on her shoulders.

            Turning her attention back to the matter at hand, she looked out over the hill and nodded.  "Oh, yeah.  This is a great spot, dear."  She glanced over at Hitomi again.  "Hitomi, come look at this!"  She said.  Hitomi, putting her mask back on, jogged over to join them.

            "It's beautiful…" she exclaimed.  "This is a great spot, you picked, Amano."  She then gave him a sly look.  "Especially considering you haven't been here for a few years.  Yukari did you mail him some maps, too?" she asked.  Amano laughed.

            "No, I can't say that she did.  I would've had less trouble remembering where she lived if that were the case."  This got him a sock in the shoulder.  "Actually, I remember this spot because when I was younger, I came here a lot.  I had always liked the view of things."  He paused, reminiscing for a moment.  "Well, anyway, let's set up the picnic, shall we girls?"

            They readily agreed.  The blanket, plates, silverware (actually plastic-wear) and food was prepared, and the three caught up on old times.  When Amano had asked Hitomi if she still had that necklace, Hitomi had paused before answering.  After saying that she had lost it, she excused herself to go use the ladies room.  Amano was puzzled, Yukari pondering.

            Hitomi washed her hands and face in the sink.  Why did Amano have to mention the pendant?  As she scrubbed her face, she looked up in the mirror and gasped, seeing Van's face looking back at her.  The look in his eyes was sad, and he wouldn't stop looking at her.  She wished desperately for him to go away and leave her alone, and it did so silently.  She grasped the sink and choked, as tears welled up in her eyes.  Why couldn't he leave her alone?  It was painful enough to know his fate and know there was nothing she could do for him, but this made it much worse.

            The door opened and she quickly dried her tears.  She turned around and saw Yukari standing at the door.  Her hands were on her hips, and she had a worried expression on her face.  Quickly striding over to Hitomi, she asked "Are you okay?  You've been in here for a while, now.  Is something wrong?"  Hitomi shook her head.  

            "No Yukari.  I'm fine.  I was just a little longer than I thought."  At this, she made to leave, but Yukari stopped her.  Looking over at her friend, she raised her eyebrows slightly when she saw the look on Yukari's face.

            "That's bull shit," she replied.  "Something's been wrong for a while now.  You can't hide it from me, Hitomi.  And frankly I'm hurt that you'd try to."  Hitomi said nothing.  "What is it?  Is it about that guy Van?"  Hitomi remained silent.  Yukari continued.  "He hurt you, didn't he?  That bastard did something to make you sad, is that it?  I'll bet he slept with someone behind your back!"  At this she got angry and turned to Yukari.  She may not have known Van, but that didn't excuse her from saying those things about him!

            "No, Yukari!  This has nothing to do with him!  Van would rather die than hurt me."  Yukari stopped, which calmed down Hitomi.  "It's something else entirely.  And you can't do anything to help me, so just forget about it."  With that, she wrenched her arm out of Yukari's grasp and walked out.  Yukari looked after her for a moment, and then followed.

****

            King Aston looked over to his company.  With him were the other four elder rulers and one other.  It was this one that drew all the attention of the other men in the room.  None of them knew where he came from, but that didn't matter.  The fact that he looked like a man in his fifties with steel gray didn't matter, either.  What mattered was the fact that on his back was a pair of white wings.  The five elder rulers of Gaea were in the presence of a Draconian.  He went by the name Belshezaar, an odd name no one had heard of.  He had gathered them here to learn of the situation of Fanelia.

            Belshezaar had come to Aston several weeks ago.  He requested the presence of the other four rulers, to which Aston had quickly agreed, fearing the demon's wrath.  They came, wondering what they were called for, when they had met Belshezaar, and cowered in fear.  The Draconian had looked down upon those gathered and asked them if they truly loved Gaea.  They hesitantly voiced their acknowledgement.  With that, he had offered them a way to ensure a lasting peace and prosperity for the planet, if they would only lend their support to him in gaining Atlantis' power.  Aston, unlike the others, voiced his doubts, though.  He had seen what Emperor Dornkirk had almost done to Gaea with the power of Atlantis.  At this, Belshezaar sneered.  "Dornkirk didn't fully understand the properties of the technology he was using.  What other outcome could've happened?"       

                 Aston had no choice to agree, being forced into puppet hood once again.  Requesting Fanelia to become part of Asturia's kingdom had been Belshezaar's idea, but so far he wouldn't let the kings know the reason.  "All in good time," was his response.  It made Aston uneasy, but what choice did he have?

            "So, has our young king agreed, or not?"  Belshezaar inquired, seating himself.  He hadn't been too pleased with the previous result.  Aston waited a moment before replying.  

            "No," he began.  Belshezaar's eyebrows lowered.  "But that is precisely what's odd about this.  He is no where to be found.  My guards have searched everywhere, but no trace of him has turned up.  He hasn't left the city, we know that much."  This seemed to change the Draconian's look from one of anger to one of curiosity.  He stood and paced the length of the room for a moment before replying.

            "Then this, gentlemen, is the moment we cannot afford to miss.  I suggest you put the question of allocation to vote immediately."  As he said this he developed a gleam in his eye.  Aston's unease grew.

            "But what about Chid and Dryden?" Cesario's ruler, Balk, interrupted.  "They surely won't agree to it.  They'll want some time for Lord Van to show up."  Belshezaar turned to address him.

            "I am sure you aware, King Balk, that Fanelia is in ruins and has no heir to the throne."  Balk nodded.  "Then in its best interests, you'd have to assume that King Fanel is deceased, and that a new ruler must be chosen, correct?"  They all agreed.  "Then Freid will have no choice but to accept facts and vote with you."

            It all seemed to be logical.  There were certainly no flaws anyone could see, and it was important that Fanelia be rebuilt.  They all settled for this and agreed to do it at the following meeting.  With that, Belshezaar took his leave of them.

****

            Hitomi lay on her bed, thinking about the events of the day.  After the incident in the bathroom, Yukari hadn't brought the subject up again.  Still, Hitomi felt angry and sad at the same time.  She felt angry that Yukari could say all those things about Van.  She didn't even know anything about him, and she already was labeling him a cheating bastard.  She hadn't seen what Hitomi had.  She didn't see how Van would be ruthlessly tortured to death.  How he'd die alone, a former shell of himself.  How it tore Hitomi to pieces that there was nothing she could do to save him.  What right did Yukari have to judge Van when she didn't even know him?

            But Hitomi also felt sad about the fact that she had blown up at Yukari.  She reminded herself that it wasn't Yukari's fault that she didn't know Van.  She felt sad about the fact that Yukari had wanted to help Hitomi, and that she had gotten chewed out because of it.  She had said those things about Van because she wanted to teach him a lesson for hurting Hitomi and all Hitomi had done was yell at her.  Looking back, Hitomi wished she hadn't said those things.  Left alone with her thoughts, Hitomi rolled over and went to sleep.

            The first thing she felt was cold.  The temperature in the room felt negative eighteen degrees, at least, and that was far too cold for a summer night.  Seeing her breath mist out in front of her, she rolled over to see if it was snowing, and gasped.  Standing there was Van.  But he looked different than the last times she had seen him.  When he came, Van was always Opaque, although you could pass a hand right through him.  This time though, he was translucent.  Hitomi could see some of her desk through him.  His eyes, which were looking right into hers, were glazed over.  His skin was a sickly pale color, as opposed to the clearness it had before.  But it was his wings that drew her full attention.  Instead of being pure white, they were a dead black.  Darker even then Folken's wings, they made the night seem like day.  When she saw this, Hitomi knew she looking at Van's spirit.  He was already dead.

            "Hitomi," he intoned.  She shuddered.  His voice sounded so… so empty.  "Hitomi, why did you abandon me?" he asked pleadingly.  He wanted to know why the one he loved had left him when she needed him.  Hitomi felt sick with guilt, but couldn't answer out of shame.  "Hitomi…?" he asked again. 

            She looked up to face him.  What could she say to him?  "Van, please…  I didn't abandon you…" she said.  She had tried to talk to him, to reach him somehow, but every time she tried, all she met with was howls of pain.  She couldn't bear to hear him suffer so, so she ran away.  Van remained silent, always looking at her with those questioning, dead eyes.  She went on.  "I wanted to try to help you, but I couldn't!  You were in such pain…"

            "All the more reason you should have tried harder," he said emotionlessly.  His look changed from questioning to accusing.  Hitomi wanted to say no, but in her heart she knew he was right, and that made her feel all the more horrible.  "You gave up, Hitomi." he said.  She didn't say anything to deny it.

            "Van, Folken came to me.  He told me that you were going to die, and that there was nothing he could do to help you, or me," she replied.  She knew it was a feeble reason, but it was all she had to excuse herself with.  He just looked at her in that heart-wrenching way.  "Van, I watched you!" she pleaded.  Still no response.  She looked down at her bed sheets.  "Why can't you understand…?" she asked, more to herself than to him.  She felt something ice cold take hold of her chin and tilted it up.  She was eye to eye with him.

            "Are you saying that all we went through on Gaea," he said.  "All that happened to us to help us realize what we felt for each other didn't matter enough for you to try?"  She wept tears of sorrow.  Why did he have to torment her like this?  "Hitomi, you knew that I'd risk everything that I had to save you, didn't you?"  She nodded.  "I thought you were strong enough to do the same for me.  Our love was strong enough to bring us together through time and space.  Don't you think it would've been enough to save me?" he asked.

            "Van, you don't understand!  I had no way of finding you!  I had no way to help you!" she exclaimed.  Couldn't he see that?  Why was he blaming her?  Why was she blaming herself?  He studied her tear streaked face for a moment before letting it go and turning away.  "Van…?" she asked waveringly.  

            He walked slowly back to the spot where he stood before.  With his back still turned he simply said "I guess I was really alone after all."  This shot a hole through her heart.  "I loved you Hitomi," she began to cry again.  "I only thought you felt the same way I did.  I see now that I was wrong."  Tears ran down her cheeks uncontrollably.  Why had she given up on him?  Why had she let him die?  He slowly faded away, and she felt herself scream in anguish.

She woke up screaming.  Panting, she looked around and realized it had all been a dream.  But Van's words still cut into her heart.  Drawing her knees up to her chest, she put her head in her hands and sobbed into the night.

****

           Van woke up to the sound of the door opening.  Ryoji stood in the doorway, hands folded over his chest.  Seeing that Van was awake, he walked over and stood before him.  "So we're awake, now are we?" he asked.  Van didn't respond.  Ryoji frowned.  "It seems they've managed to synthesize the material of your pendant successfully enough to power my suit of armor.  I should thank you for bringing it to me."  At the mention of Hitomi's pendant, Van's hand balled into a fist, and he struck at Ryoji.  The other man easily caught Van's punch, and squeezed, making Van cry out.  "Tsk. Tsk.  Such rude behavior, Van," he said as he threw Van back onto the bed.  "Well, let's get started, shall we?"  He said.  Van knew all to well what he meant.  "Van, please.  I'm asking you to help me achieve something great.  You should be more than willing to help me.  I'm one of your kind, after all."

Van spit at Ryoji.  "You're after Atlantis' power.  Of that I'm certain.  There's no greatness that be gained by that power, Ryoji," Ryoji merely frowned and wiped the spit from his cheek.  "I've seen it for myself, and it's only purpose is for destruction."  Ryoji sighed.

"I was afraid you'd say that, Van," he replied.  "I would think you'd be willing to comply by now, but I suppose you need more incentive."  He said, pressing a button.  Moments later, two of his soldiers had arrived, yanking Van up and marching him out the door.  Van wondered what Ryoji had in mind for him now.

Takashi walked around the table Van was strapped to.  He had wanted to do this in a more humane manner, but he was so close to his goal, and this boy was being so stubborn.  He could have gone with something more modern, but these old torture devices he had kept as antiques were so much more extravagant.  In the long run, he was more old fashioned.  

            The device Van was strapped to was one of Takashi's favorites.  He looked at Van once more and asked "Are you sure you aren't willing to reconsider?"  The boy merely shook his head.  Takashi shrugged, and then nodded to the guard who was stationed at the lever.  He pulled it, and slowly, agonizingly, spikes began to push up from the table into the child's back.  He had grit his teeth at first, but the deeper into his flesh the spikes dug, the closer Van came to letting go.  Blood began to run over the table and drip to the floor, but still he refused to give in to the pain.  Takashi admired the kid, even though this was foolish in the end.  After a few moments, he signaled the guard to stop.  With a quick switch of the lever, the spikes retracted.  Van lay there panting heavily.  He turned back to Van.  "Well, have you changed your mind, boy?"  Still panting, Van shook his head.  Takshi's brows lowered.  He signaled the guard once again, and the spikes dug into Van's back again.  This time Van did scream in pain.  It went on like that for fifteen minutes until Takashi signaled for a stop again.  The guard quickly obeyed.  He sent for some medics to patch Van up.  As much as this boy's stubbornness angered him, Takashi had to take great care with him.  After the medics had done their work, he let Van rest for a few moments.  

It continued like that for a while.  The torture would continue on and off, each time resulting Van holding out less and less before he would begin screaming in agony.  When he lost too much blood, the medics would come in and recover him.  After continuing this all day, Takashi decided that Van had had enough, and had him sent back to his cell.  This was taking far too long for Takashi.  As he returned back to his office, he brooded over ways that he could speed this up.  He **_was going to get to Atlantis, one way or another._**

****

           Hitomi walked through the door to her house and then gave a start to see her mother and Yukari sitting there waiting for her.  She looked from one to the other, then asked "What's going on here?  Did I miss out on something, or did I forget about something again?"  Neither of them moved.  "Mom?  Yukari?"  She asked again.  

They both looked at each other.  Hitomi couldn't figure out what in the world was going on.  It looked like her mother was going to answer this question though, because she stood up and said "Hitomi…  Yukari and I just wanted to know what was wrong.  You haven't been yourself lately."  Oh, no.  It was back to this again.  Hitomi sniffed.

"Mother, please!" she said shortly.  "There's nothing the matter with me.  I told Yukari about it the other day."  She wanted to be alone and get away from all this.  Couldn't they see they were making it worse?  She started to go upstairs when her mother's voice stopped her.

"If there's nothing the matter, then why were you screaming at the top of your lungs last night?"  Hitomi didn't turn around, nor answer.  Her mother, taking this as a sign, pressed on.  "Hitomi, I know something's bothering you.  Please, tell us what it is.  Maybe we can help you."  Hitomi looked back at her.  Realizing they weren't going to leave her alone until she let up, she sighed in exasperation and resignedly sat down. "There," her mother said. "Now just talk.  We'll listen.

Hitomi didn't know where to begin.  The pillar of light had taken her back to the moment before she had left.  How could she tell them that she had been gone for so long, when they didn't even see her leave?  Still, the only thing she could do was tell them, so she started with where it all began.  She told them about how the boy and dragon had appeared, how she had gone to a different planet, how she met up with so many different people and saw so many startling visions.  By the time she had finished, she had a hard time believing what she said herself.  By the look Yukari gave her, Hitomi could tell that she certainly didn't.  Her mother, however, was a different story.

            "So you went to Gaea, and fell in love with a boy there?" she simply asked.  Hitomi nodded.  Mrs. Kanzaki closed her eyes and smiled.  "Well, at least you differed from your grandmother in that respect."  Yukari and Hitomi looked as though they had been hit the eyes with a baseball bat.  "What's wrong, Hitomi?  I've told you about the stories Grandma used to tell me about Gaea, haven't I?"  Hitomi mentally kicked herself.  Of course!  Grandmother had been to Gaea as well!  It was only logical she would tell them to her daughter.  Well, at least now she knew that her mother didn't think her daughter was crazy.  But that didn't help the fact that she didn't know what to do for Van.  Her mother seemed to notice this, though.  "Hitomi, tell me.  What did you do to help your friends while you were on Gaea?"

Hitomi thought for a moment.  "Well, I prayed for them, hoping that my prayers were answered." She replied.  Mrs. Kanzaki nodded.  

"Precisely.  The way I see it, this boy of yours is in the same kind of predicament."  She said.  Hitomi blinked.  She was right.  Van was in exactly the same kind of situation.  "So, the best course of action would be to pray for his escape and safety, right?"  That was true, but…

"But mother, I don't have the pendant!" she said.  "I gave it to Van!"  There was no way she could save Van without it.  Mrs. Kanzaki shook her head, and laughed.  "Mom, this isn't a laughing matter!"

Mrs. Kanzaki laughed again.  "I know dear.  I'm just surprised that you haven't realized that the pendant was a focus for you.  If you concentrate hard enough on this boy, I'm sure you'll be able to help him, with or without your grandmother's pendant."  Hitomi still wasn't certain.  Her mother placed a hand on hers.  "Have faith in you power to help you friends.  If you don't, then they really are lost."  Hitomi smiled at her mother, then shut her eyes and began to focus all of her thoughts on Van.

****

Van thought he heard something.  Looking around, he didn't notice anything, so he decided to make his way over to the door area, and see if someone was out there.  Sure enough, he heard two guards talking to themselves.  "…..shi told us to check up on him and make sure he's still okay."  The first one was saying.  "I still don't see what's so important about the brat."  This was it!  Van just had to wait for them to open the door…  Sure enough, it slid open, and the two strolled in.  With a cry, Van leapt on top of them, wresting the weapon from one of them, and using it to knock them both unconscious.  He then bolted out of the room and down the hallways.

Quickly making his way through the corridors, Van's mind raced as he tried to recall the door Ryoji always stepped through to leave.  Suddenly, he was right before it.  It was the worst possible time though, because the doors opened to reveal Ryoji himself.  They stood there a moment, both surprised to see the other, when Van noticed Hitomi's pendant hanging from the other man's neck.  Van quickly grabbed it, and flung Ryoji out of the elevator, punching one of the buttons he saw.  The doors slammed shut just as Ryoji got to his feet. Van slouched against the wall.  All that running hadn't been good for his wounds.  He sat and relaxed as the room made its way upwards.  He wasn't sure where he was going, as long as it was away from there.

Suddenly the doors slid open and he found himself on a floor in front of a flight of stairs.  Not wanting to wait around, he quickly dashed up the flight of stair, and found himself out on the roof.  He had no idea that buildings were this tall here!  If he hadn't been so used to heights, the vertigo might have nauseated him.  He heard sounds coming from the door, and saw it burst as Ryoji and several guards stepped onto the ceiling.  This wasn't exactly a good situation for Van.  Looking around for an exit, the only one open to him was to fly away.  But could he make it?

His choice was made for him.  The guards were advancing, their weapons aimed at him.  Leaping off the roof, he spread his wings, flinching as his wounds opened up, and beat at the air, trying to get away.  Ryoji yelled in fury, and guards opened fire.  Van managed to dodge their fire, and it looked like he was going to get away, until one of the bullets found their mark, grazing his wing.  He felt himself begin to weaken.  He had gotten far enough away that the bullets wouldn't him, but he wasn't sure how long he could keep airborne at this rate.  He flew on for a few more hours, until he finally dropped and plummeted.

****

Hitomi had been walking through the park, hoping that her wish was granted, when she saw what looked like a wounded bird trying to keep aloft.  As she squinted to get a better view, she gasped.  That was too big to be bird, and now it was free falling to the ground.  She ran over to the area she thought it had fallen to.  Combing the area around the tree she saw it fall towards, she tried looking up in the tree for it, and was shocked to find an arm sticking out of the branches.  Tugging on it, it gave way and fell to the ground with a grunt.  

Hitomi could only stare.  It was Van!!  He was without his shirt, and he was bruised in a few places, but this was definitely Van!  He was alive!!  She was about to hug him, when she noticed he was bleeding.  Curious, she bent down to get a closer look, and recoiled.  His entire backside was awash in wounds.  By this time other people had started to gather around him, and were wondering what was happening.  Gabbing one of them, she pleaded "He's hurt badly!  Please, call an ambulance!!  Several people rushed off to call the hospital, while the others began wondering why this boy was so hurt.  Hitomi could only hold Van and cry, partly because she was so happy, and partly because she was upset she couldn't do anything to help him.

Seven hours later, Hitomi was standing by his bedside in the hospital when he slowly opened his eyes and looked around.  When she saw him focus on her, she ran over and hugged him.  He was unsure of this action, and slowly moved to put his arms around her.  She could only sob, happy to see him alive.  "Oh, Van!  Van!!  I'm so happy to see you alive!  I thought you'd died!  I was so worried!"  She let go of him to look at his face, but was concerned to see a look a troubled puzzlement there.  "Van?"  She asked slowly.  

He looked up at her, that look still on his face.  "Van….?" He asked.  She looked at him gravely, worried by the tone in his voice.  It didn't sound right.  "Who is…Van?"

****

Chid was helpless.  While he didn't want to go along with this, he had no choice.  He had Dryden if it was the right thing to do, and Dryden grudgingly said agreed.  What some of the elder Rulers said about Fanelia made sense, he still couldn't help but feel like he was betraying Van.  "If there are no objections, may I request the vote on the issue?" King Aston asked.  No one objected.  "Then let us decide.  All opposed?"  Not a single hand was raised.  "All for?" the others shot their hands up almost as before the words left King Aston's mouth.  Chid, slowly raised his hand to join theirs.  "Well, then,"  Aston continued, "In the name of the Gaean council, I Grava Efund Aston hereby proclaim that from this day forward, that the Lands of Fanelia are now part of the kingdom of Asturia!!"  The others cheered.  Chid, on the other hand, felt like he was nailing the coffin shut on Van's grave.

****

HOLY **_CRAP!!!  What an exciting (and long) chapter!  Van's lost his memory, and Fanelia's now part of Asturia!  You could only find this kind of excitement watching profession Fish Mud Wrestling!!  Stay tuned for the next chapter, when we through _****_even more slop at you!! _**


	5. Forgotten past

Sorry I'm late.  I was eating a chocolate pocky Ganki gave me. *pause* What? It was good pocky!! 

            So anyway, where were we?  Oh yes, I remember!  Sneaking through the shadows, an unseen terror you cannot deny…  Action! Drama! Intrigue! More action!!  It is the masterpiece known as… **_PIRATE vs. NINJA!!!_**

**_            What?  Whaddya mean we aren't doing "Pirate vs. Ninja" in this segment!?  Y'mean we're __still on that piece of crap?  This is so retarded.  Pirates and Ninjas have_**** _swords for crying out loud!!  All right, fine!  Don't you take that tone of- ohhh, God!!  Get away from me with that!!_**

Disclaimer:  Don't own Escaflowne, blah, blah, blah…  

Dedicated to, um, I don't know… Montana…?

****

Hitomi stared at Van in shock.  This must have been some sort of joke he was playing on her.  It had to be.  Still, he must have really been trying to push it from the look on his face.  It was very convincing.  "Van, you're just fooling around, right?  It's me, Hitomi, remember?"  She waited to see if her name could invoke some kind of reaction.

            "Hitomi…?" Van mouthed the name, his brow furrowing in confusion.  This was ridiculous.  Enough was enough.  This joke wasn't funny, and it was time he stopped.  Hitomi stood up and put her hands on her hips.  Van's face followed hers, apparently having no where else to go.  "Alright Van, knock it off and be serious!  I mean it, this isn't funny!"

            Van only looked at her questioningly.  "I'm not sure what you mean.  Where exactly am I?  And how did I get here?" he asked.  From the lack of amusement in his voice, Hitomi's countenance fell sharply.  He really wasn't fooling.  Then that meant that he really did….

            "So… You don't remember anything…?" she asked quietly.  After a pause, she said "You don't remember… me…?"  He shook his head.  

            "No, I'm afraid I don't," he replied.  He looked at her in that questioning way again.  "…Should I?"

            Hitomi bit her lip.  This wasn't right!  How could Van have lost his memory?  He had been spared being killed, only to end up like this?  Hitomi's head dropped.  God must have been having a good laugh at her expense right now.  Why did this have to happen?

            At her sudden movement, Van asked "Are you alright, Miss?"  Hitomi started.  That word he called her was so…. foreign.  Even when he had first met her, he hadn't called her that.  This made her even more depressed.  She slumped into the chair next to Van's bed, shoulders rolling forward.  Van could only look at her, puzzled.

            Suddenly, the door opened, and a doctor walked in.  "So, young man, how are feeling?  Better, I assume?" he asked mildly, looking over his spread sheets, not noticing Hitomi's dour state.  She was surprised for a moment to hear Van ask, "Come again?"  Hitomi snapped back into attention immediately.  Suddenly she remembered that no one here could understand Van, and neither could he understand them, so she had to translate.  

            Standing up, she replied "He says he's just a little worn out, for the moment."  The doctor looked over at her, surprised to see her there.  From the looks of it, it seemed she had popped out of nowhere.  

            "And just where did you come from, Miss?" he asked.  "Are you a relative of the boy?"  Hitomi had to think for a moment.  She hadn't given a thought about what to say if anyone had asked her about this.  Of course, she had never thought about Van coming here again, let alone winding up in a hospital.  What could she say?  She thought about saying they were siblings, but he might ask mother or father about it.  Thumbing through some more answers quickly, she blurted out "He's a friend of mine, from overseas!!"  She groaned inwardly.  That was the best she could come up with? 

            Eyeing her for a moment, he shrugged.  Hitomi inwardly sighed with relief.  Turning back to his spreadsheets he gave her the results of the medical attention.  "Well, apparently he suffered from severe beatings.  It seems his backside was especially wounded recently.  There were a few minor fractions, but some simple splints should fix them."  Hitomi nodded.  She had to ask him something.

            "Doctor," she began.  He looked over the clipboard at her.  "Well, he's… he's lost his memory.  He doesn't know where or who he is, or how he got here."  At this, the doctor frowned.  Hitomi took this as an ill sign.  Did he not know what was wrong with Van?

            "Hmm, amnesia is it?" he sked.  Hitomi nodded.  He put a hand up to his chin and folded the clipboard under his other arm.  "Well, we didn't find any sign of a heavy head-blow in the C.A.T scan or X-rays.  But then again, they have slipped by them before.  Do you know if your friend might have gone through some kind of trauma?"  Hitomi couldn't tell him what happened, so she said she didn't know of any.  She had found him like this.  It was more or less the truth.  "Hmm, strange…." he replied.  "Well, my guess is that whatever caused him to loose so much blood had something to do with it.  Having been in such bad shape, his brain might have gone through shock, causing him to loose memories."

            Hitomi looked at Van uncertainly, who was still watching her and doctor's discussion of his condition.  She turned back to the doctor.  "Will he… ever remember who he was…?" she asked tentatively.  He shook his head.

            "That's uncertain at this point.  Amnesia is a very tricky thing.  Sometimes, they can recover their memory almost an hour after they've lost it, other times, they might not recover it for years.  Some don't recover at all."  Hitomi looked crest-fallen.  "The best thing to do for him," he continued, "Is to help him to recover slowly.  If he's forced, he might panic and feel too uncomfortable around the ones he used to remember."  With that, he excused himself, saying he had other patients to take care of.  Hitomi was left in a hopeless state.  Van might never regain his memory?  What did this mean for Fanelia?  

What did this mean "For us…?" she finished the thought out loud.

****

Belshezaar stood on a cliff overlooking the reconstruction of Fanelia.  If there was one thing these humans did well, it was to scurry like ants when the need called for it.  Well, he cared little for this ancient country of dragons and stone.  It was what lay _inside of it that concerned him.  He stood quietly for a moment, reflecting on this.  It had been so long since he had had a moment to reflect on what he had been doing.  He almost hadn't noticed the sound of wings, signifying that someone had come seeking the pleasure of his company.  He opened his eyes and looked over at the intruder.  "What is it, Daedalus?_

A man much younger than Belshezaar walked up to join him.  Fair skinned with eyes like black pools and hair the color of an old oak, Daedalus was Belshezaar's son and second in command.  Looking out over the hillside, he asked "Father, was it really necessary to go through all this?"  It was the third time that he had asked this question.  "Surely we could take the guymelef from these humans with little trouble, so why should we go through all this?"

Belshezaar sighed.  At his age, Daedalus was more adept with some things, such as military strategy and the foresight and wisdom that someone twice his age would bear.  Unfortunately, he had no conception of political tact.  He addressed his son on this matter.  "While we could take the Guymelef from them, Daedalus, we would have more than a 'little trouble'," he responded.  His son looked at him inquiringly.  "Listen to me, my son.  Starting a war with the humans to get what we want is a foolish course of action.  While I have no doubt that we would win, because of their sheer numbers we would suffer too heavy in our losses.  I do not want that."  

Daedalus was intelligent, but he preferred military might rather than diplomacy.  "Are these humans really so powerful that they'd be able to inflict that much damage on us?" he asked.  "We are Atlanteans, the ones who gave them their planet and technology!  We are like Gods to them!" he exclaimed.

Belshezaar sighed.  "Yes, my son.  It's true that we are as Gods to these people.  But if there is one thing I have learned from these humans, it's that they do not take kindly to tyrants.  Even if they are Gods." this seemed to silence Daedalus.  He pondered over the meaning of his father's words.  "If we were to confront the humans with arms bared, they would surely rally their forces, rather than meekly submit.  I have no doubt that a confrontation between us will occur, but we must wait until we are ready.  Do you understand, my son?"  

Nodding his head, Daedalus answered, "Yes, father.  I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner."  

Belshezaar brushed this aside.  Laying a hand on Daedalus' shoulder, he replied "Age can affect even the wisest of us, my son.  Don't let it concern you."  Daedalus smiled, and Belshezaar joined him.  "How is the search for the other guymelefs proceeding?" he asked.  Daedalus was quick to report.

"We have found one of the armors to the west.  Our intelligence reports that it's the green armor.  So far, no country has reported claim of it yet.  If we move quickly, we can take it without any problems.  No word has yet been given on the location of the others, though."  Belshezaar nodded.  He knew that the ten Dragon Armors were too important to his plans for Varie to not go to great lengths to hide them.  It was a pity she was dead; this would have been so much easier if she weren't.  Still, he would recover all of them, sooner or later.  What was that old human proverb?  Ah, yes.  "Good things come to those who wait."    

****

Hitomi was at a total loss.  She had to find some way to help Van, but how?  The doctor had said that he might never remember who he was.  What if Van spent the rest of his life here, never knowing about his past?  At first, something had told Hitomi that this wouldn't have been so bad.  After all, he would never have to remember the ruins of his country, or the fact that all of his relatives were dead.  Not to mention all the pain he had suffered during the war.  But when she looked at Van, she knew that the voice was wrong.  She couldn't let Van live like this.  Not remembering his heritage, not remembering… her.

But she had important matters to deal with first.  Like, where exactly was she going to keep him?  Mother would understand, but her father was another story.  She supposed that she could stick with the idea of him being a friend from overseas…  But what if he were to suspect something?  This was driving Hitomi crazy!!  She looked over at Van who was walking beside her, looking at the surrounding buildings.  She sighed, and began to run over in her head some reasons why her "penpal" decided to visit her.  This was going to be more difficult than she thought.

****

Takashi was fuming.  Three days, and not a single word about a sighting of the boy!  Van couldn't have gotten far with those injuries, so why hadn't any of Takashi's men found him, yet?  In frustration, he crushed the pen he was holding.  He grimaced as he looked for something to clean it up with.  The intercom on his desk buzzed to life, as he heard his secretary's voice.  "Takashi-san, there's someone here to see you."  Takashi's lips thinned further.  He was in no mood to listen to someone's ideas about adjusting the balance on a CPU to achieve greater RAM capacity.  

Pressing the button on the intercom, he said shortly "I have no time for him.  Tell him to come back some other time."  He thought that finished the matter, but this stranger seemed to have other thoughts.

"But Takashi-san," his secretary protested.  He was about to tell her he didn't care and to have him thrown out, when she continued.  "He says it's urgent.  It's about some photos."  Before the words were finished leaving her mouth, he had him sent in.

He seated himself at Takashi's gesture, and promptly folded his briefcase before him.  Takashi sat behind his desk, folding his hands before him and gave the other man a glare, causing him to shift in his seat uncomfortably.  "Well?"  Takashi asked.  "Where are these photos or yours?" he said in a dangerous tone.  The man, taking the hint, quickly opened up the briefcase and handed Takashi a small manila envelope.  Takashi opened it and began to thumb through its contents.  They contained pictures of Van with some short-haired brown headed girl.  Without looking up, he asked "When were these taken?"

The man cleared his throat.  "Just this morning, sir.  We saw them leaving the medical clinic, walking downtown."  Takashi put his hand to his chin, contemplating.  Why would Van be with this girl?  The only reason would be that they knew each other.  He'd have to have more evidence before making a conclusion.  Setting the pictures on his desk, he turned back to the agent.

Sliding the picture over to him, Takashi placed his finger over the girl.  "Do we have any information on this girl?" he asked.  The agent shook his head.  Takashi frowned.  If this girl had some kind of connection to Van, perhaps Takashi could use her to get what he wanted from the young Atlantean.  He had to be careful, though.  Placing the photos back in the envelope, he handed it back to the agent and told him to dispose of them, and then find out everything they could about the girl before taking any action.  The guard nodded and then left.  Takashi walked over to the window, watching the humans below mill about their business.  Perhaps this little crisis was really a blessing in disguise…

****

Dryden had been going over the reports of Fanelia's progress.  King Aston had set him to this task personally, which wasn't exactly something that Dryden was too pleased about.  Being in charge of the project to rebuild a country and prepare the paperwork regarding its change of royalty was a daunting task, made even more so by the fact that it belonged to one of his friends.  Of course,  

Princess Millerna wouldn't let him go by himself, despite both Aston's and his own protests.  So, Dryden gave in and let her come along.  Aston had Allen accompany them, which was something that Dryden was thankful for, occasionally.  If Allen, of course, hadn't demanded that his sister accompany them.  That knight wouldn't let Celena out of his sight until he was sure she was recovered.  He was busy looking at the plans for rebuilding the outer wall when he heard a knock at his door.  Without taking his eyes off the blueprints, he said "It's open, come in."  

He heard the shuffling of feet and the door closing.  The next thing he heard a voice whisper in his ear "Leaving a door unlocked is an open invitation for assassins, you know."

            At this statement, Dryden smiled.  "And would this assassin that you speak of be here to talk me to death, or merely to make me slit my own wrists by having to listen to her ill-advised selection of window curtains?"  That got him a punch in the arm.  Rubbing it, he looked up to see his fiancé grinning at him.  He grinned back and said "You know, I'm not sure I want to settle for a marriage to an abusive spouse."  She grinned even more and sat herself down in his lap. He molded his arms around her until they were in a comfortable position, and asked her "So why have you decided to grace me with your presence this evening?"

            Playing with his hair, she replied "I just came in to relax you.  You've seemed awful tense, lately."  He shrugged.  Looking over at the documents on his desk, her smile faded.  "Dryden, this really doesn't seem right.  I mean, what would Van say?"  She looked away.  "I don't think father should have gone through with this.  He could have at least waited for a while.  What will Van do when he returns and sees Fanelia this way?"

            Dryden's wasn't sure what to do about this.  He knew that Millerna was right, but all the same… "Millerna, we don't know if Van's **_going to come back."  Millerna frowned at him, and was about to reprimand him when he placed a finger on her lips, and looked at her intently.  "Please, just listen to me.  Van wasn't exactly in the best of spirits when we saw him, was he?  His country was a wreck that wasn't getting fixed.  He had no one to help him bear his burdens, either.  You do remember that all of his family members are now dead, don't you?"  Millerna didn't answer.  Dryden continued.  "He's just a boy, Millerna.  All those things might have just caved in on him; he might have needed some kind of release.  Besides," he continued, smirking.  "From what I recall, there's a certain someone on the mystic moon that's important to him, isn't there?  Perhaps, like smart guy would do, he decided that he was better off there with her than he was here with this."_**

            She sniffed "That's what _you would do, you mean."_

            "I consider myself a smart man, I'll have you know."

            "I think you're a pig, I'll have _you know!"_

            "And you're my little piglet," he finished, wrapping his arms tighter around her.  She playfully protested at first, but gave in to his advances all too soon.  They sat there, kissing each other for a while, before she finally broke off, and stood up.  "What, is that all I get, then?"  He asked.  She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him coyly.

            "For the moment.  You have other things that need to be taken care of, if you remember," she said, pointing to his desk.  Giving a sigh of defeat, he turned back to his paperwork, as she walked off, humming contently.

****

            Looking up at the afternoon sky, Allen thought to himself about his current situation.  Celena wanted to stay at the castle, and after thinking over it for a while, Allen decided to let her stay.  He needed a walk to clear his head.  He kept having this feeling of foreboding, like something terrible was going to happen.  His concern over Van's safety grew the longer he was away.  Allen was beginning to think that maybe something had happened to Van.  The fact that there was nothing the Calei Knight could do to help his friend didn't ease his state of mind, either.  Instead, it made him feel more on edge.  He leaned against a wall and closed his eyes, lost in thought.  Van wouldn't have been transported to the Mystic moon without a reason.  Was Hitomi in danger?  That was always a possibility.  But then why had he not come back here?  Surely it would have been the safest place to take her?  Something wasn't right, and Allen knew it.

            Turning his head, he saw Princess Millerna making her way down the street.  Allen hailed her and walked over.  "Allen?" she asked, surprised to see him.  "What are you doing out here?  Shouldn't you be with Celena?"  Allen nodded.

            "Yes, but she wanted to stay at the castle.  She doesn't like being in this large crowd.  I, on the other hand, needed a walk.  I've had too much on my mind lately, and thought that this would help," he replied.

            She looked at him quizzically.  "And has it?" she asked, sounding like she already knew the answer.

            Shaking his head, Allen replied.  "No.  It seems nothing has been able to do me any good.  Frankly, your highness, I don't think we belong here.  Fanelia is King Van's country, not ours.  He should be the one heading up its rebuilding, not his majesty King Aston."  Millerna's face took on a sad look, and she began to walk down the street again.  Allen, puzzled, quickly strode to join her.  "Princess?" he asked.  "Did I say something to upset you?"  

            Millerna looked up at him and shook her head.  "No, Allen," she replied.  "It's just that I share your sentiment.  I'm concerned about Van's reaction when he finds out about this.  When he comes back here and discovers that he no longer controls his own country, what will he do?"  She stopped again.  Allen took hold of her shoulders gently.  She looked up at him.  "Allen, Dryden thinks that Van might not come back."

            Allen's brow furrowed.  "What do you mean?" he asked.  She looked away from him before continuing.

            "Dryden says that all of Van's problems might have caused him to collapse," she said.  Allen frowned.  Van was young, and he hadn't exactly had a trouble-free life, but still...  Millerna continued.  "He believes that Van might have realized that perhaps it was better to stay with Hitomi than to be here where he had nothing but strife."  Allen mulled over what she said.  Could Van have decided to stay with Hitomi?  No, it wasn't like Van to give up.  

            "Listen, Millerna." He said.  "Van wouldn't do something so brash as to let his country fall into the hands of someone else.  He's much better than that."  Millerna looked uncertain.  Allen continued.  "Wherever Van is on the Mystic Moon, we have to keep believing that he's still trying to find a way back here.  In the meantime, I think we should keep a close eye on things.  I… have this feeling that something's going to happen.  And whatever it is, it'll happen soon."  

            At this, Millerna looked startled.  "Allen, what are you talking about?  Are you saying Gaea might be in danger again?"  She looked for some kind of answer.  He could only shake his head.

            "I don't know.  Perhaps, but I can't be certain."  He sighed.  "All I have is this feeling, which isn't much, but I tend to trust my instincts.  All I'm saying is that we should keep alert," he smiled at her.  "But I'm bothering you with my thoughts, aren't I?  Why don't I escort you to the castle, now?" he asked.  Millerna agreed.  As they walked back to the castle Allen thought to himself.  "Van, you have to get back here quickly.  I have a feeling that if you don't, all of Gaea might be danger.  Wherever you are, I hope you hear this."  

****

            Hitomi sat in her chair in the living room, facing her mother and father.  Van was seated near her, watching those in front of him.  Her mother watched the two of them, and her father was contemplating over what she had just told them.  Finally, he pushed his glasses up and addressed Hitomi.  "So, let me see if I understand this, Hitomi.  This boy, Van, is a penpal of yours.  You and he have been talking for some time now, and he wanted to come visit you and you said yes."  Hitomi nodded.  "And then, at the spot in the park where you were supposed to meet, you found him nearby and he was in critical condition?"  Hitomi nodded again.  It was all she could think of to tell him.  "Well, if that's true, why didn't you tell us about it?  And why haven't we seen you sending or receiving letters to or from him?"

            Mrs. Kanzaki quickly leapt to her daughter's defense.  "She probably took care of it while we were at work, honey," she said.  Mr. Kanzaki gave his wife a reproving look.  "She might have just been a little embarrassed about her predicament, is all.  I really think we should let the boy stay."  She gave a look to Hitomi.  Hitomi smiled inwardly.  Now she was glad she had told her mother about Gaea before.

            Her father still seemed slightly adamant, though.  "I don't know," he said.  "I really think she should have asked us before telling him to come to Japan.  Besides, it really isn't decent for them to be under the same roof."  At this her mother gave him a disapproving look.     

         "And just what is that supposed to mean, dear?" she asked.  "Are you saying you don't trust our daughter to be together with a male friend in the house at the same time?" Hitomi's father realized what he had said too late to save him.  "I think you should have a little more faith in our daughter.  We raised her well enough to know not to fool around with boys."  Mr. Kanzaki seemed to believe her.  "I think it's perfectly fine for this boy to stay with us.  I certainly don't see any reason why he shouldn't, and besides, the fare for the trip back home would have to come out of our wallets, not his."  Finally, Mr. Kanzaki threw his hands up in desperation.  

"All right, fine!  He can stay!" Hitomi nearly leapt with glee.  "But, he's going to stay down here on the couch!" her father said.  "I don't want him in your room for any reason whatsoever, is that clear?"  Hitomi nodded quickly.  "All right, then.  By the way, Hitomi," she looked up.  "Can this boy speak Japanese?"  Hitomi shook her head.  Her father grunted his disapproval.  "Well, then I expect you to translate what he says to us.  And no paraphrasing!!  I want to know everything he says, from the first letter to the last, understood?"  Hitomi nodded again.  "Good.  It's late, so I'm going to bed." With that he went upstairs and into his bedroom.  Mrs. Kanzaki kissed her daughter good night and told her not to stay up too late.  Hitomi nodded and her mother went upstairs to join Mr. Kanzaki.

Hitomi turned to Van.  "Well, it seems to have worked out all right," she said.  Van looked over at her.  He seemed so lost that it made her heart ache.  Was there any way she'd be able to get his memory back?  Seating herself, Hitomi decided to try and start by telling Van everything she had learned about him while she was on Gaea.  This was going to a long night…

****

Takashi sat overlooking the information regarding the girl from the photos.  According to this, she went to Kamakura-Kita High school, and was in grade twelve.  Her name was Hitomi Kanzaki and she excelled at sprinting.  Before this she had done amateur fortune telling.  She had two friends, Yukari Uchida and Amano Susumu.  Yukari was her track team manager and Amano was the head of the boys sprinting team until he left to study overseas in her freshmen year.  

Takashi wasn't sure how she was connected to Van, but the concern on her face from the photos was more than it would be from a mere Good Samaritan.  Somehow she knew Van, and she would be able to help Takashi to find a way to persuade Van to show him the way to Atlantis.  All he had to do was recapture Van, and take her with him.  However, he had to be careful.  This would be a delicate operation, so he had to make sure to choose the right men.  He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his ring.  This time, he would succeed, and the power of Atlantis would be in his hands…

****

Ominous foreshadowing?  What ominous foreshadowing?  I just remember pocky.  Mmmm, pocky…  Oh, and the next chapter has stuff in it.  What stuff?  I aint tellin', 'yo!!         


	6. Return to Gaea

Well!!  We've been through five chapters so far, and things are starting to heat up.  Now is the part where the story really starts moving along, and I'd just like to say that-

???: Hold it right there, Shen!!

What the…?  Ekaterini!?  What are you doing here?  I thought you were over at Animeboards.

Ekaterini: I was, but I decided to come and talk to you about an important matter, Shen…

*groan* Not this again!!  Look, I was drunk, okay!  I wasn't thinking properly, and you were just sitting there next to me, and I squeezed them!  How many times do I have to say that I'm sorry!?

Ekaterini: _NOT THAT IMPORTANT MATTER, YOU** IDIOT!!  *ahem* Er, I mean…  ****This important matter has to do with your fic.**_

Do tell?  All right, go ahead E.

Ekaterini: Well, it's just that I've read five chapters of this story of yours, and I'm a little concerned.  You see, I have _yet to see one word of yaoi in this writing of yours._

Well yeah, I know…  I don't do yaoi, Ekaterini.  I thought I stated that in the first chapter.  I'd have to own Escaflowne to do that and feel right about it, and I don't, you see…

Ekaterini:  What do you mean you **don't do yaoi!?  As a dedicated Esca fangirl, it's my civic duty to ensure that every Esca fic contain at least a paragraph of yaoi.  Especially Van and Dilandau yaoi.  My plushies demand it!! Mmmmm!!  *snuggles homemade Van & Dilandau plushies***

Oh dear God, not the plushies again…

Ekaterini: *twitch* What was that, Shenrezade?

(_SHIT!!) Um, nothing…_

Ekaterini: Are you saying you don't **_like my plushies…?_**

Yes. I mean- NO!!  No, I **love your plushies!!**

 Ekaterini:  I don't believe you.  I think you need to be taught another lesson in plushie appreciation!

_ NO!!! NOT ANOTHER LESSON!! *runs away*_

Ekaterini: **_GET BACK HERE AND TAKE YOUR MEDICINE!!! *runs after Shenrezade*_**

* * * *

**Reunion******

Chapter 6

            Celena walked through the halls of Castle Fanelia.  From what her brother had told her, a man named Dilandau Albato had razed it to the ground four years ago.  It was the start of the Gaea war of fate she had been told about.  Now, though, as she walked past the pillars, she could hardly tell it had ever been burned.  She stopped for a moment to look at the throne room, and marveled at its grandeur atmosphere.  She couldn't understand why someone would want to destroy such a beautiful place.  This Dilandau person must have been very cruel.

            It had been Celena's first time to visit another country, since Allen had been so adamant about protecting her.  In truth, she had wanted to go with him to see the town's rebuilding.  But all those carpenters and the noise frightened her.  She was afraid of being in a large crowd of people.  At first, Allen had wanted to stay close to her, but Celena could see that he was very troubled, so she told him she'd be fine.  She wasn't sure what was troubling him so much these days, but she had a feeling that it had to do with that boy with the raven-colored hair.  What was his name?  It was Van, wasn't it?

            Thinking about him always brought her mind back to that time when she had first seen him.  Why had he been so cold towards her?  She had never seen him before, so why should he have that reaction at her presence?  It was all so very strange.  And then there was that beam of light.  It had taken him somewhere, because when she opened her eyes again, he had disappeared.  The others had said something about a moon, so he must have been taken there for some reason.

            This always confused Celena when she thought about it.  This was Van's kingdom, wasn't it?  So why would he go off to some moon when he had a duty here?  Right now, the king of Asturia was busy reconstructing Van's country for him.  She supposed that Van would be happy to see his home rebuilt like this, but for some strange reason, none of the others felt this way.  Each of them always had a frown on their face when she saw them, and it always deepened when she commented on how surprised Van would be to see this.  She just couldn't understand the way royalty worked.

            Passing through the halls to her bedroom, she saw Allen turn the corner.  He saw her and smiled, and she walked up to him.  He opened the door for her, and they both walked inside.  She seated herself on the bed, and Allen left the door open and placed himself in a chair, opening a book he had selected from the shelves.  Celena looked over at him, and was disappointed to see that he didn't look any less troubled then he did when he left.  She decided to find out what was wrong with him.  "Brother?" she asked lightly.       

            Looking up from his book, he turned towards her.  "Hmm?  What is it, Celena?"  he asked, concern hinting at his features.  She fidgeted with her dress a little before continuing.

            "Well," she began.  "It's just that I noticed your walk didn't seem to do you much good."  She shifted to better face him.  He placed the book down, then closed his eyes and sighed.  "I don't understand, Allen.  Your friend's castle and home are being rebuilt right now.  They're even better than the way they were before, aren't they?  That's what you told me." 

            Allen opened his eyes and looked at her.  "Yes," he replied.  "It's true that Fanelia is being restored to its former glory Celena." He stood up and walked over to their window.  Leaning on the rail he continued.  "But the problem is that its king isn't here to oversee its reconstruction.  Van doesn't know that he no longer rules this land."  He stopped speaking for a moment; instead looking out over the country's rolling hills.  Celena had seen this before, and she knew that Allen was thinking hard about the matter at hand.  "You don't understand, Celena.  Van's country was the only thing left to him in the world.  Now that he no longer has that, what will he do when he returns here?" he remained silent, and Celena knew that he was finished speaking.

            This left her to think on what he said.  Although she knew it was a rhetorical question, Celena still tried to find an answer to her brother's question.  With nothing left to him, what _would someone do?  She silently pondered this, as she watched Allen continue to stare outside._

* * * *

            "So, you're saying that I'm a king?  From a planet in between this one and its moon?"  Van looked at Hitomi like she has suddenly sprouted antenna or something.  Hitomi was thankful she hadn't told him about his wings.  Who knows what he might have thought then.  Still, this alone was proving to be more challenging then she thought it would be.

            She shifted again, to get more comfortable.  Van continued to watch her.  So far, they had been up till two in the morning talking about him, and Van hadn't believed a single word.  "I know that's it's a little far fetched…"  Van just quirked his eyebrow questioningly at her.  Hitomi grimaced.  There was no need for that kind of reaction.  "All right, so I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't seen it.  But still, I'm not lying.  You are the king of Fanelia, and we met when you came to Earth while slaying a dragon, remember?" 

            Van just crossed his arms and laughed.  She was starting to become irritated.  "I'm sorry, but I think I would remember fighting a dragon.  Especially if I had just 'teleported' here while doing it."  He laughed again and looked back at her.  "And why did you say I was fighting this dragon again?  Surely it wasn't holding a damsel in distress was it?"  From the mirth in his voice, this was obviously the answer he was expecting.  

            Hitomi was growing angrier by the minute.  He was being very rude about this, and treating her like she was making all this up was adding fuel to her fire.  She stood up and glared at him.  "For your information, you were doing it as part of a sacred rite of your country.  From what Balgus told me, all Fanelian kings had to slay a dragon single-handed to show they were strong and resourceful enough to prove that they were fit to rule."  He looked at her, not saying anything.  Well, at least now she had his attention again.  

            "Well, if that's true, how did I prove that I killed it?  Surely I didn't drag the entire carcass back to my kingdom, did I?"  This time he held no laughter, just curiosity.  "There must have been something I needed to show that I had accomplished it.  What did I do, lob off its head and bring it back to show to everyone in my kingdom?"  She seated herself across from Van again and brought her mind back to what he had done.

            "Well, no." she replied.  "You didn't return with its head.  Instead you took something else from it as proof.  If I remember right, you cut open its stomach, and took out a red gem, like the one you're wearing." She said, pointing to her pendant that still hung around Van's neck.  Van looked down at it and frowned.  He had asked her before why he had that, but she couldn't bring herself to answer him.  "It's called an 'energist' and it's what powers your guymelefs."  At the mention of Gaea's enormous suits of armor, the edges of his lips twitched, betraying an amused smirk.

            "The 'guy-melefs'.  You mean those giant things that they walk around in on this planet I'm from," he said trying to stifle a laugh.  Hitomi frowned again.  "You're saying that gems recovered from dragon's stomachs allow giant machines to move?"  He continued, this time the laugh escaping his mouth.  This was the final straw.

            "All right, that it!" she said angrily.  "If you don't believe me, then I'm finished speaking for the night!" and with that she quickly turned to head upstairs.  She didn't stop when she heard Van ask her to stay, even though she could tell he was being sincere.  She had had enough ridicule for the night.

Van flinched when he heard the door upstairs slam.  Sighing, he lay back on the couch.  What that girl had said was so ridiculous, how could she expect him to believe her?  Still, he had a feeling she was telling the truth, as strange as it might sound.  It would help if he knew who he was.  A king?  Him?  If that were true, then why didn't he feel like one?  He let go of those thoughts and turned over, falling asleep.

* * * *

            Once again, Aston found himself seated in front of the Atlantean, Belshezaar.  This time, he was not alone however.  Standing a few steps behind him was another one, with dark brown hair, and black eyes who watched Aston like a hawk.  The king was uncertain why Belshezaar had brought someone along with him, and to be perfectly frank, having two Atlanteans in the room was much worse than one.  He quickly paid close attention when Belshezaar addressed him.  

            "All right, Aston.  I'm glad that you have been able to secure Fanelia with so little trouble," he said, taking a seat across from the king.  Eyeing the punch Aston had chilled, he asked "May I?"  Coming out from his mouth it sounded less like a question and more like a demand.  Aston nodded and offered him a glass, which Belshezaar took.  Taking a sip, he commented on the richness of the beverage.  Setting the glass down, he fixed Aston with a penetrating gaze.  "So, now that you have the country of dragons as part of your territory, you must select someone to govern it, correct?"

            Aston swallowed the lump in his throat.  Dealing with Zaibach hadn't even made him this nervous.  It must be in the way the man carried himself.  Always watching for some kind of weakness of Aston's to prey on.  "Yes, that is true," he replied.  "Did you have someone in mind, Belshezaar?" he asked.  The other man just snorted in contempt.

            "Of course not.  I not so presumptuous as that," he retorted.  Aston became confused.  If he didn't want to select a governor for Fanelia, why did he ask about it?  "No, Aston.  I have no wish to select a governor.  I have faith you will make a proper selection on that matter.  All I merely wish to do is provide you with a suitable advisor for the governor you choose."  He said, taking another sip of his wine.  

            "Ah, I see." Aston said.  "And who did you have in mind for that position, Belshezaar?"  Looking at the young man who remained standing behind the Atlantean's chair, he made an educated guess as to Belshezaar's choice.  He was surprised to see the man's eyes narrow when he heard Aston call Belshezaar by name.  Placing his eyes back on the older man, Aston waited to see what Belshezaar's answer would be.

            Gesturing to the young man, Belshezaar introduced him as he stepped beside Belshezaar's chair.  "Aston, this is my son, Daedalus," he said.  Aston's eyes' widened.  His son?  "He is very well versed in a variety of matters concerning government, and will no doubt be useful to your selection." He fixed Aston with a glare.  "I trust you will allow him to advise the selected governor, won't you?"  Aston nodded.  "Excellent.  Well, then we have nothing further to discuss for the moment.  I will see you again when the need arises, King Aston.  Thank you for your hospitality."  With that, he polished off what remained of his wine, then he and his son left, folding their wings so as not to turn any heads.  King Aston watched them as they walked down the hallway, pondering over what Belshezaar had in mind.

* * * *

            As they passed Asturia's courtyard and left via the palace gates, Belshaar turned to face his son at the sound of his voice.  "What is it, Daedalus?  Is something troubling you?"  Daedalus hesitated before responding.  

"Father, why did you allow him to address you by name?  It's disrespectful to be addressed as such by a human."  Belshezaar chortled.  "What is it, father?  Did I say something to amuse you?" he inquired as he strode up to his father.

Belshezaar shook his head.  "It is nothing, my son.  I'm laughing because I find your demeanor towards the humans entertaining, that's all."  Daedalus frowned at this response.

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean, father." He said.  Belshezaar looked over at him from the corner of his eye.  "Is not the purpose of our mission to recover the dragon armor and rule the humans?  If so, then it's only natural that we demand the proper respect from them!"  Belshezaar stopped in his tracks and looked his son in the eye.

Daedalus felt uncomfortable from the scrutinizing gaze his father was delivering him.  After a moment, Belshezaar simply asked "Why do you see humans as such inferior creatures?"  This question caught him off guard.  Thinking for a moment, he then gave his answer.

"Well…" he replied, thinking over his response.  "The humans seem very barbaric.  They are uncultured and lack the intelligence and clear headedness needed to rule.  Such creatures are unworthy of being given the reigns of power."  His father was silent for a moment.  Daedalus watched his father carefully.  It looked like he was contemplating.  

"Is that so…" he said finally.  "Tell me, Daedalus, is that _really what you think of the humans?"  Daedalus nodded.  "I see.  And what about us?" he asked.  Daedalus was confused again.  What did father mean?  "All those years ago, before Gaea was created, I thought the same way as you.  Many of us did.  We tried to conquer the humans, and to rule over them, because we were superior to them.  Because of that arrogance, Atlantis' power was lost, and her people died.  We few survived."_

Daedalus mulled over his father's words.  Did this mean Belshezaar had no intention of ruling the humans?  "But, father," he asked, "If ruling the humans isn't what we are reviving Atlantis for, what is the purpose of this mission?"  Daedalus watched as Belshezaar continued to walk the path out of the forest.  "Father?"

Turning around, Belshezaar looked at his son.  "No, Daedalus.  Ruling the humans is not my intention.  They bear the same faults we once did."  His voice held a tone of sadness.  "However, unlike us, they refuse to learn from their mistakes.  I want to help them, teach them.  But unless I have Atlantis' power, that will be impossible.  That is why it is important that we retrieve the Escaflowne from Fanelia.  And that is why I'm sending you there to act as an advisor.  That way we can secure the armor without arousing suspicion.  Do you understand that, Daedalus?"

"Yes, father." He replied.  "I swear on my blood that Escaflowne will be in your hands as soon as possible."

* * * *

            Takashi walked along the small line of men assembled before him.  Each one was an elite of the guards, ready to do as he asked.  Knowing that all was in order, he quickly stepped to the desk placed on the far side of the room.  Picking up a set of pictures, he handed each of the men one.  Turning back around, he addressed them.  "Men, look carefully at the photos you hold.  In them is a young girl.  She will be your target.  I want you to follow her, and gather information about her.  She will be in the company of a young boy with black hair and reddish brown eyes.  She knows him and I want to know how she does.  When you've gathered enough information, capture them both and bring them here.  Oh, and remember to be discreet about it.  The less who know about this, the better, is that clear?"  They saluted, and placed the pictures in their pockets.  "Good.  You're dismissed."

            As they filed out, Takashi left to examine his acquisition again.  He stood before the hulking suit of armor that he was sure was his key to finding Atlantis.  He looked once again at his ring as he thought about that boy, Van.  It was obvious that whatever material his pendant was made out of, Takashi's ring was made of the same substance.  This fact intrigued him.  Takashi thought back to when he had received this ring.  His adoptive father had said that he had found a necklace with Takashi when he was young, and decided that a necklace wasn't the type of thing a man should wear.  Takashi had been very outright in refusing to part with it, though now he had no idea why.  

So his foster father had made a deal with him.  He would make the necklace into a ring for Takashi to wear.  Since Takashi wasn't loosing it, he decided that this would be fine.  So, his necklace was replaced with a ring, and he never gave it a second thought until Van showed up.  Takashi had to keep from giving the researchers his ring, because some unwanted questions might have arisen.  They had studied the material of Van's pendant, and even though they couldn't fully analyze it, they had still managed to create a significant replica.  However, with Van gone, Takashi had no way of knowing how to operate this thing.  It was so frustrating to have come so far, only to be stopped at this point.  

Stroking the armor, he smiled quietly to himself.  He had been very patient so far, and that patience was soon to pay off.  Waiting was one of the most frustrating parts of this operation, but meticulous planning and observation had served him well up to this point.  There was no point in rushing things now and ruining it.  Just a while longer, and the keys would be in his hands.  Yes, patience was a virtue, and one that he had held on to well.  

* * * *

            Hitomi hadn't spoken to Van all day.  He was a little saddened by this fact, and it showed in his face.  He had been dour all morning, and when her parents had noticed how she refused to say a word to him, they put two and two together and realized that something had happened last night.  Thankfully, for Hitomi at least, they had kept quiet on this matter, and left with the usual message of keeping the house clean.  Her brother, however, was a different story.  

He kept pestering her about whether Van had rubbed her tits the wrong way or something.  His constant nagging of how Van's tongue had felt in her mouth and how hard he squeezed her chest when they made out last night had gotten on her nerves so much that in pure anger she had thrown her notebook at Shoji and told him to leave her the hell alone.  Not wanting to get hit a second time, he quickly left.  She slumped down on her desk and scowled fiercely.  She wasn't in the mood to hear him talk about her and Van that way.  It was hard enough that she wasn't able to do those things, but to have Shoji stand there and jeer at her like that…  

"He doesn't understand," She thought to herself.  "I know he was kidding, but I can't stand not being able to tell Van I love him and then being mocked by Shoji…  This is just horrible, like some sick joke."  The more she thought about Van, the less angry she became with him because of last night.  It wasn't his fault he had amnesia, and the story she had told him sounded so ludicrous that she couldn't blame him for having that reaction.  She made up her mind that she would apologize for storming off like that and giving him the silent treatment earlier.  Before she did, however, she realized she needed a shower, since she was going to take Van with her to go sightseeing with Amano and Yukari.  So, she went off to the bathroom to clean up.

Van had felt really bad about what he had said to Hitomi last night, and wanted to apologize for mocking her when she was just trying to help him.  He had wanted to tell her that morning, but she refused to speak to him.  Every time he opened his mouth, she just walked off, leaving him there with his mouth open.  His mood had grown worse when she had gone to her room without saying a word to him after breakfast.

"What am I going to do?" he asked himself.  He was determined to go upstairs and tell Hitomi that he was sorry for what he did, but he heard her yelling at her brother, and decided to wait.  He remembered next to nothing about her, so he didn't want to go in there while she was in such a foul mood.  He went downstairs and decided to wait a while to let her to cool off before going back to apologize.  He took the time he had to look around at the pictures scattered around the room.  He thought that perhaps if he saw some, he might remember something.  Picking one up, he looked it over.  It was a picture of Hitomi, with her arm around another girl's neck.  They were both smiling, and were in front of a large building, standing on a sandy path.  She was holding up two fingers in the shape of a "V".  As Van looked at the picture, he felt something flit across the back of his mind.  

            "What was that?" he asked himself.  "Did I just remember something?  This place looks familiar, but I can't…"  He narrowed his eyes, analyzing every inch of the back round, but to no avail.  Whatever that was that he remembered was gone now.  He put the picture down with a sigh, and realized he had to use the restroom.  Remembering Hitomi say that it was upstairs, he walked up there and made his way down the hall way.  He paused at every doorway, trying to figure out if it was the door he wanted.  Finally reaching the one he decided must be it, he opened the door and stepped inside.

            Hitomi vigorously scrubbed her hair as she thought about how to apologize to Van.  Figuring that it was best to just get it over with quickly, she pondered on how to get Van's memory back.  Telling him about it obviously wasn't going to work.  So, she'd have to try a different approach.  Grabbing the soap, she began to lather herself as she thought about what kind of angle she could use.  As the water poured over her, she thought quickly, going over several ways to help Van recover.  Well, if telling him was getting nowhere, she could show him some things and see if that would help, instead.  But what could she show him to help him jog his memory?  

At the word "jog", she smiled.  Of course!  The school track where they had first met and the shrine where they had gone to Gaea!  Those would probably help him remember who he was more than her story.  She became excited as she continued to clean herself off.  The pounding of the water against her skin was quickly drummed out by her elation at her epiphany.  "This was surely going to work," she told herself.  Having finished washing herself off, she shut the water off and grabbed a towel.  Ripping the shower curtain back, she quickly stepped out to dry herself off.

Scrubbing her head vigorously, her elation continued as she worked out her plan to have Van see the track and Shrine.  It was an absolutely marvelous plan, and she saw few flaws in it.  She was so tuned out from her excitement and drying her hair that she failed to hear the door open.  When she heard someone gasp, she quickly dropped the towel, frozen in shock.

There, staring right at her, was none other than Van.

Van opened the door to the bathroom and froze.  There, drying herself off and completely oblivious to his presence was Hitomi.  And she didn't have a stitch on, he noticed, adding to his horror.  Giving out a squeak of fear, he tried to close the door, but his feet refused to do as his brain told him.  It was too late, anyhow.  She heard his gasp and the towel she was drying her head with dropped lifelessly from her hands.  Their eyes locked and she froze, as unable to move as he was.  He could only look at her stupidly, his mouth slightly open.

Her entire body was wet.  From her head to her feet she glistened with moisture, which gave her a sheen that caught the light in the room, accentuating her features further.  Her body was very well defined, not masculine like some girls, but gracefully endowed like an athlete's.  Before he could stop them, his eyes began to travel down her body, absorbing everything they saw.  Her shoulders were long and smooth, and her arms were graceful and delicate.  Going down to her chest, he saw that her breasts were of an average size, not too large, but not small either, rounded into perfect spheres.  He noticed that her nipples quivered slightly due to her short, gasping breaths.  Moving down, he saw that her stomach was perfectly shaped.  It was smooth and lean, and her belly button was in the direct center, moving up and down slowly in time with her breathing.  He lingered for a moment on her womanhood, noting how clean shaven it was.  Gazing at it, he lost both his breath and his wits and began to walk forward slowly, his eyes traveling back up to her face, which continued to gaze at him.

Hitomi silently watched Van as his eyes trailed the length of her body, even though half of her mind screamed for her to cover herself, or tell him to get out, or something.  But the other half quickly shut it out, her emotions towards Van the only thing taking control.  Her eyes became smoky with passion when he left his probing and began to slowly advance on her.  She offered no protest to this, but instead began to move her arms up to take him in an embrace, one she had been wanting for some time now.  

However, when his hands made contact with her arms, something inside her snapped.  The other half of her brain telling her not to do this took control again, and she quickly leapt back into reality.  With a cry of panic, her arms moved of their own accord, and she shoved him backwards, which resulted in him falling flat on his back.  She quickly covered her chest with her arms, turning around and closing her eyes in shame as he pulled himself off of the floor.  "Hitomi?  What-" he began, but she didn't let him finish.

"Get out, Van," she said.  He started to protest but she didn't want to hear it.  "I said get OUT!  _NOW!! " she yelled.  Without another word, he got up and left, closing the door behind him.  She sat down on the toilet and cried, partly because of what she almost did; partly because she stopped herself from going through with it.  "What's the matter," a voice teased her.  "Isn't that what you wanted?  You almost had him, so why did you stop?"_

She continued to weep as she answered.  "Because that isn't Van out there."

"Isn't it?" the voice asked mockingly.  "He's the same person, and you love him, don't you?"

"Yes," she replied.  "But his memory's gone.  He doesn't remember me at all.  It wouldn't be right to be with him when he's like this."

"You're just making excuses," it replied accusingly, dripping with contempt.  "What does it matter that he doesn't remember who you are?  If you love him, doesn't that make it right?"

Hitomi was in doubt.  "I…." she began.  "I don't… I don't know…."  The voice just laughed with scorn, leaving her alone in her doubts.

* * * *

Yukari stood looking at her watch with Amano near her.  Hitomi was a half an hour late today.  This wasn't like her.  She was late sometimes of course, but never by an hour and a half.  She was about ready to leave when Amano pointed.  "Hey, isn't that Hitomi over there?" he asked.  Sure enough Yukari could see Hitomi, but she seemed sad.  She was wondering what was wrong when Amano nudged her and pointed again, asking "Who's that guy with her?"  Yukari looked to where he was pointing and saw a guy wearing one of the weirdest outfits she had ever seen.  He had on a red vest, with beige pants and boots.  It wasn't the clothes, though.  It was the way they looked.  It was as if this guy had come from the thirteenth century or something.  He was looking at Hitomi with a sad look on his face.  She didn't seem to acknowledge him, however.

Hitomi had walked up and stopped in front of them now.  Looking up, she gave them a smile, while still ignoring the look on the other guy's face.  Yukari looked from one to the other in utter befuddlement.  "Hitomi?" she asked.  Hitomi looked at her.  Yukari shifted her eyes to the stranger in their midst.  "Well, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, here?" she asked.  

Hitomi looked over at the newcomer.  She bit her lower lip, then gestured to him, saying "Yukari, this is Van Fanel.  He's a penpal of mine from overseas…"  Van looked at both of them for a moment, then bowed.  Yukari had never met someone so formal before.  Of course, they were also supposed to bow, but it was more of a formal thing than an introduction.  Still, she bowed, and then elbowed Amano so he'd do the same.  Standing back up, they looked over at Hitomi, and Yukari asked why Van hadn't said anything yet.  "He can't speak Japanese.  So, talking wouldn't exactly get him very far, you see," she replied.  "So, Yukari, I was wondering if we could do something different today instead of going to the mall?"

Yukari looked at Hitomi questioningly.  "Well, maybe… What did you have in mind?" she asked

"Well," she began, putting a hand behind her head.  "It's just that Van's visiting, so I thought we could maybe go sightseeing.  …Is that all right with you two?" she asked tentatively.  Yukari and Amano looked at each other, then turned back to look at Hitomi.  Yukari said that it was fine, and Amano agreed.  Hitomi smile and said "Thanks a lot!  I appreciate it, and I'm sorry we couldn't go to the mall," taking Van by the wrist, he looked at her and she smiled back at him.  He didn't respond, and she began walking off with him, when she turned around and told them to come on.

They spent all day looking at the sights of Tokyo.  Moving from one spot to another, Hitomi told Van about every spot they went to.  Stopping off at the banzai gardens, and seeing a movie, along with visiting some traditional Japanese houses among other things, they made their way to the park to eat their lunch.  Hitomi and Yukari had gone to the ladies room and were washing up when Yukari decided to ask Hitomi the question that had been on her mind all day.  "Hitomi," she asked, while drying her hands.  Hitomi looked at her friend while scrubbing her face.  "Hitomi, that boy with you, he's… not a penpal is he?"  Hitomi stopped scrubbing, and stood up.  "He's that boy you told your mother and me about, isn't it?  The one from the planet you went to four years ago."  Hitomi nodded, saying nothing.  "Well, then what's wrong?  You told us his life was in danger, but here he is eating lunch with us."  She stopped and gave her friend a lopsided grin.  "Of course, if I had known your interplanetary boyfriend was coming with us today, I would have packed more food.  Next time let me know, okay?"

Hitomi grinned and laughed.  "I'm sorry Yukari.  Frankly I didn't know he'd be joining us either."  She looked at the sink, then her smile slowly faded into a concerned look.  Yukari cocked her head to side and asked what was wrong.  "Yukari," Hitomi answered, "The truth is that he was supposed to die.  My prayers saved him, I'm sure… but something went wrong."  

Yukari put a hand on her friend's shoulder.  "Wrong?" she asked.  "What do you mean, Hitomi?  What's wrong with Van?  What happened?"  Hitomi looked at her, her eyes revealing the despair in her heart.

"Oh, Yukari," she said, hugging the other woman.  "It's terrible!  Van's memory is gone!  He doesn't remember me any more!!" she exclaimed.  Yukari was speechless.  Why did that happen?  What did fate have against Hitomi to make her suffer so much?  Taking hold of her shoulders, Yukari pushed Hitomi away from her and looked her in the eyes.  

"Hitomi, are you certain it wasn't a temporary thing?  Maybe a trick he played on you?"  Hitomi shook her head.  So Van's memory was gone, and he didn't know who the person who loved him anymore was.  This really was unfair.  "Have you tried telling him what you told us?"  She asked.  Hitomi nodded.

"Yes, last night.  He doesn't recall any of it, and thought I was making it all up."  Yukari looked over in the direction of where the boys were sitting.  "But, I had an idea while I was in the shower this morning," when she said this, Yukari noted that Hitomi's face went very red.  She quirked an eyebrow, but decided she didn't need to know.  

"At least not yet, anyway," Yukari thought to herself.  "So what did you come up with, Hitomi?" she asked.

"Well, He and I met for the first time on the school track field at dusk, so I thought that if I took him there at dusk tonight…" she began.  Yukari was quick to catch on.

"I see," she replied.  "You realized that being there at the exact moment might cause him to remember something, right?"  Hitomi nodded.  "You know, that's not such a bad idea, Hitomi," she said.  As an afterthought, she added "For you, anyway." 

Hitomi noticed it.  "What's that supposed to mean, Yukari?"  She asked.  Yukari just rolled her eyes and looked innocent.  Hitomi quickly lunged at her friend, while Yukari quickly made for the exit.  They chased each other out of the bathroom, while Van and Amano just stared at them in confused surprise.  None of them noticed the men in black suits watching them.

It was close to dusk when they came to the school yard. Hitomi had asked Yukari and Amano to stay back while she and Van went to school yard.  Amano wanted to go with them to make sure they would be safe, but Yukari asked him to stay with her, giving Hitomi a wink.  She smiled back and asked Van to come with her.  Van agreed and they made their way to the track yard.  They both stood there watching Hitomi and Van go when suddenly, hands clamped around their mouths, and they felt something hard strike them across the back of their skulls.  As Yukari lost consciousness, she tried to warn Hitomi to run, but her mouth no longer obeyed her brain.

Van looked around the area, as per Hitomi's odd request.  He concentrated hard on the story she had told him, trying to recall his fight with the dragon she had told him about.  He was putting all his thought into this lost memory when he heard a twig behind him snap.  His eyes shot open, and he quickly twirled around, one arm stretching out in front of Hitomi.  "Van?" she asked.  "What is-" she silenced immediately at his look.  Turning back around, he tensed.  Four men in black suit coats stepped into the lights.  Van wasn't sure why, but his instincts told him that these were dangerous men.  

Forming a semi-circle around the two, the men placed their arms behind their backs.  The one in the middle spoke.  "Are you Hitomi Kanzaki?" he asked Hitomi.  She went livid.  How did they know who she was?  She looked to Van, who she noticed had paled suddenly.  He looked very nervous, especially considering he couldn't understand what they had said. 

Turning back to the waiting men, she aksed "Who are you?"  They didn't respond.  "I said who are you?  How do you know who I am?"  At this, the one in the middle nodded to the others, and they slowly stepped forward.  Van and Hitomi slowly took a step backward.

The one in the middle spoke again.  "Miss Kanzaki, we need you to come with us.  The boy needs to come as well." He said, directing his look at Van now.  Hitomi latched onto Van's arm.  He grit his teeth. 

"Hitomi," he whispered fiercely to her.  She looked at him, as he told her what they were going to do.  "I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about these men.  We have to try and get away from them, now."  She nodded, and he gave a quick countdown.  At "zero" they quickly ran for the back gate.  At their escape, the men drew their weapons and opened fire.            

Shots flew past them as they made for the rear gate, and on of them almost hit Hitomi.  Van cried out and leapt in front of her, taking the shot.  He slowly slumped to the ground, his strength leaving him rapidly.  "Van!!" Hitomi exclaimed.  Trying to lift him over her shoulder, she struggled to carry him away, but he was too heavy.  By this time, the men after them had caught up her.  She looked around wildly for some way to escape, but none was offered.  One of the men leveled his gun at her, and her eyes widened in fear.  He pulled the trigger, and she felt something prick her shoulder.  Looking at it, she saw a dart sticking out of the wound.  Before she could react, her vision became dark, and she lost consciousness.

* * * *

            Hitomi opened her eyes groggily only to shut them again quickly.  Wherever she was, the lights were awful bright here.  Opening her eyes again slowly, she let her eyes adjust to the glare while she looked for Van.  She saw him a little ways away from her, strapped to something and still unconscious.  She tried to go to him, but quickly found she was restrained in the exact same way.  Seeing that he wasn't in any immediate danger, she took a moment to look around a bit more.  What she saw made her gasp in surprise.

            Standing, or rather kneeling, right before them was a Guymelef!  And not just any melef, but one that very closely resembled Van's.  There were a few differences, however.  This one was black in color, and its helmet contained three crests, as opposed to the single one that Escaflowne had.  Also, where as Escaflowne had shoulder pads that pointed up, Hitomi noticed that the ones on this guymelf pointed towards the ground.  The design for the melef's face was also slightly different.  The face mask reminded her more of Allen's armor, Scherezade, then of the Escaflowne.  But the one thing that puzzled her so much was "Why is it here?"

            As she said this, she heard a small sound.  Looking up, she saw that someone was seated on top of the melef's knee that was extended forward.  "So, you know what my treasure is, do you?" he asked.  Climbing down to the ground level, he walked forward where she could get a better look at him.  He was the strangest person she had ever seen.  His skin was the same cooler as an Oriental's but that was where the similarities ended.  His hair was pure white, not gray or silver; white, like fallen snow.  On top of that, his eyes were two different colors, one silver, the other a black-flecked gold color.  He took a moment to look at her, then turned his attention towards Van.  Walking over towards him, the man slapped Van hard across the face.  Hitomi made a sharp intake of breath at the force of the blow, and watched as Van slowly came to.  The man glared at Van for a moment, and then quickly gave him another slap.  "That, Van, was for setting me behind.  You should have cooperated with me, because now I'm going to make things much more difficult for you."  Hitomi was confused.  How did this man know who Van was?  And why was he talking to Van like they could understand each other?  

            Blood began to trickle down the corner of Van's mouth.  He looked at this man like he was crazy.  "What are you talking about?" he asked.  "I've never even seen you before!  Why would I try to escape from you?"  Hitomi felt like she was hit right between the eyes with a wrecking ball.  Van could understand what this man said?  How was that possible?  She stopped wondering, though when she saw him slap Van across the face again, even harder than before.  

            "Don't try to think I'm a fool." He said menacingly.  "I have stretched my patience to the brink, and soon it will break!"  Grabbing hold of Vans neck, Hitomi watched in horror as he drove Van's head into the wall behind his head.  Screaming at the top of his lungs, he roared "Tell me how to operate this thing!  **_NOW!!! " he bared his teeth as Van tried to protest weakly.  "I am growing tired of all this stubborn foolishness, Van," he growled.  "I want answers, now."_**

            Hitomi couldn't stand for any more.  Pulling against her restraints, she cried out.  "Stop, please!  He doesn't remember who he is!!"  This seemed to stop the man.  Looking over his shoulder, he seemed to actually see her for the first time.  Letting go of Van, he turned around and began to walk over towards her.  The look in his eyes made her shiver with fear.  It was different than the madness in Dilandau's eyes.  This man's eyes contained pure ice-cold cruelty.  Giving a short laugh, he reached out a hand and stroked her cheek lightly.  The smile on his face wasn't very reassuring.

            "Ah yes," he said softly.  "Hitomi Kanzaki.  In my rage I had almost forgotten why I had brought you here."  Stroking her other cheek, he turned back to Van.  "She is quite attractive, isn't she?  I'd think she might make a good wife to me."  Van didn't answer, only looking at nervously.  Giving another laugh, he drew a small dagger from his belt.  "It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" he asked, turning it over in his hands.  "It from a collection of mine.  I always did enjoy blades.  This one is particular favorite of mine."  Turning back to Hitomi, she became more fearful from the look in his eye.  Walking over to her he placed the dagger alongside her arm.  "Van, I'll ask you again.  Tell me how to operate this machine."

            "I told you, I can't!!  I don't know how!"  He pleaded a trace of panic in his voice.  He sighed, then with a flick of his wrist, pricked her shoulder.  She inhaled sharply from the sudden pain, and saw blood start to trickle down her arm.  Van was horrified.  "Please stop!  I can't tell you anything!" he begged.  Hitomi had never heard Van beg like this before.  "Please leave her alone.  I beg you…" he said, his head hanging low in despair.  

            The man looked at Van quizzically.  Obviously, he hadn't heard Van like this either.  Looking back at Hitomi, he asked "Is he telling the truth?"  Afraid of he would do if she hesitated, she nodded quickly.  Wiping his dagger on her shirt, he quickly returned it to his belt.  Thinking for a moment, he said quietly "Well, this was an unexpected turn of events…"  Closing his eyes and pondering over what he would do next, he thought for a few moments when his eyes shot open and he looked at her.  "You know what this is, don't you?" he asked her.  Her silence seemed to answer him.  Smiling again, he said, "All right, then.  I want you to show me how to operate this.  If you do, I'll let you both go.  Understand?"  Hitomi, not seeing any alternative, nodded.  "Excellent!  Well, then hop to it, girl," he said, pushing a button that unlocked her and Van's restraints.  Walking over to Van, who had dropped onto the floor, she asked him for the necklace he wore.  He gave it to her without a word, and she wrapped it around her palm, so that the gem lay in the center of it.  

Striding over to the guymelef, she walked over to its crystal and placed her gem on it.  There was no doubt about it, this was definitely similar in make to the Escaflowne.  She turned back to the man after observing it for a moment.  "It needs a large gem like this one," she said, pointing to her pendant, "In order to run.  Do you have one?"  Nodding, the man removed an energist from his pocket and showed it to her.  She was surprised, but decided that if he had the suit, it stood to reason that he would have the energy source, as well.  Pointing to the large crystal, she continued.  "This thing runs on a blood pact.  Pour some of your blood onto the stone you're holding and place it in this large gem here."  He looked at her uncertainly for a moment, but then shrugged and drew his dagger again.  Running his thumb along the blade edge, he watched silently as a trickle of crimson appeared.  Placing the dagger on the table, he then picked up the energist, and allowed his blood to run freely onto it.  He looked up to her for what to do next.  "Now," she said trying to remember what it was Van had done.  "Now you have to state your name, saying that you honor your blood rite with the ancient guymelef.  After that, place the gem inside of the crystal.

The man slowly walked up to the large crystal and recited what she had told him.  Raising the energist to face the armor, he stated "I, Ryoji Takashi do so honor the ancient blood rite of the 'guymelef' before me," his tongue rolled around the odd word.  Placing the gem into the crystal, his breath caught as his hand passed right through the deceivingly solid surface.  Pulling his hand back out quickly, he staggered back a few steps gaping in awe as the crystals in the chest and shoulder pads began to resonated and glow brightly.  With a hiss, the chest opened up, revealing the pilot's harness.  He stood there for a moment, then smiled as he stepped into the suit.  Placing his hands and feet awkwardly into their respective locations, the chest piece clicked shut and the machine stumbled clumsily into a standing position.  She heard Takashi laugh from inside the melef.  "It's magnificent!"  he exclaimed breathlessly.  "Amazing!  I never thought the Altanteans were capable of such technology!  Think of what man could do with this!"  He faltered slightly, obviously not used to piloting the colossal thing.

Hitomi, who had moved to Van and was holding his shoulders, decided to speak up.  "All right, Takashi!" she said.  "I've shown you what you want, now let us go!"  The head turned and looked down at her.  It remained silent.  "Takashi?"  Hitomi asked nervously.  "You promised to let us go if I helped you!"

There was no response.  Instead, the suit turned and began to advance toward them, each step giving a dull thud as it hit the floor.  Takashi finally spoke.  "I forgot about that, didn't I?" he said, more to himself than to her.  She didn't like the way he sounded.  "I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind," he said, moving another step, his melef giving a dull _thoom sound._

"I'm afraid I have a slight problem, however."  Thoom.  "You see, I can't let you leave here." Thoom.  "At least not alive, anyway."  Thoom.  "You see, I can't have anyone know of this.  And you both have some very open mouths."  Thoom.  The armor was right in front of them, now.  "So, I'm afraid you have to be dealt with," he finished.  The foot raised, and she looked on in horror, clutching Van as she saw the foot of the guymelef shoot down straight towards them.  She cried out, and her pendant flared to life.  She felt a gust of air rush up from the ground, and a beam of blue light embrace both her and Van.  She was nearly crying for joy when she realized they were heading for Gaea, and away from Takashi.

* * * *

*Huff, huff*  I think *pant* I lost her….  So, great chapter, huh?  Now we can actually progress with the story's real plot, and how Hitomi, Van, Belshezaar, and Takashi are all connected to it.  Stay tuned for chapter seven.  I'll have it up as soon as I deal with the resident psycho.  Speaking which, where is she?

Ekaterini: **_HAKÉ-SAKÉ!! *Drops from the ceiling ninja style and lands on Shenrezade*_**

Ahh!!  Get off you crazy bitch!!  

Ekaterini:  * hogtying Shenrezade* Nope, sorry.  You need to be taught a lesson.

O_O!!  NO!  Please, not again!!  Anything but plushie education!!!

Ekaterini:  And while we're at it, I think you need to learn the importance of having yaoi in a fanfic.

NO!!  FOR THE LOVE OF HUMANITY, LET'S THINK THIS OVER!!  SOMBODY GET SHAFT ON THE HORN, PRONTOOOOOOOOOOoo!!!!!  *Is dragged off kicking and screaming* 


	7. Fugitives

Well, now that I've managed to escape from Ninja girl, let's move on shall-

Protesters: NO YAOI, NO READ!!  NO YAOI, NO READ!!

-We.  *sigh* Never mind.  

Ekaterini: Hey Shen!! *schparkle*

Oh good.  And here I thought I wasn't going to have my daily dose of chaos.  What's with the picketers, Kat?

Ekaterini: Oh them?  Well, I just thought that since my Plushie Education reel didn't do any good, I'd try a different approach.

You're just mad because I was more resourceful than you gave me credit for.  Well, that and Tennyo called Shaft in to rescue me.  

Ekaterini: Resourceful!?  You passed out as soon as the title showed up!!

Ph34r my m@d ph4inting skillz, f00!!

Ekaterini: Whatever.  So anyway, I hired these picketers to help me get you to put some yaoi in your story.  Until I see some Dilandau and Van sucking face-

AHHH!!  Don't say such things around my virgin ears!!

Ekaterini:- we're going to keep people from reading your story!!  MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

Um, yeah, rrrriiiiggghhttt…. How do you plan on doing that if they're reading it over the internet?

Ekaterini: Um, well, I haven't quite figured that part out yet…

Uh-huh.  Look, can you at least tell me why you want to see Van and _Dilandau__ yaoi?  I mean, they wanna kill each other, for crying out loud!!_

Ekaterini: Oh, you're **so blind, Shen.**

Meaning what?

Ekaterini: Isn't it obvious?  Van and Dilandau's aggressive tendencies towards one another are a psychological result of their pent up sexual frustrations at not being able to express their true feelings!

Soooo… You're saying they wanna kill each other because they love each other?

Ekaterini: Precisely!!

Yeah…  Hey are those the G-Boys over there!?

Ekaterini: G-Boys!!? Where!!!?

There!  Go get 'em, girl!!

Ekaterini: Quatre-Samaaaaaa!!!!!

That should keep her busy, for awhile…  So anyway, on with the story!!

****

The Vision of Escaflowne: Reunion

Chapter 7:

Fugitives

          Hitomi slowly opened her eyes and looked around.  She spotted Van standing nearby looking at their surroundings, trying to figure out where they were.  She slowly shifted her weight and sat up, trying to remember what had happened last.  From what she could recall, they had been with some man with white hair and a… guymelef.  It all came back to her now; she and Van had been captured and forced to show someone how to operate one of Gaea's colossal  battle machines, in exchange for their freedom.  When they had grudgingly complied, the man had decided that it was too dangerous to keep them alive, and was about to kill them both, when Hitomi's pendant had flared to life and teleported her and Van to Gaea, away from harm.  So now, their problem lay in figuring out where they were…

            Hearing Hitomi's movements, Van looked away from the scenery and made his way over to her. Sitting down he looked over at her and smiled.  "I'm glad to see you're okay.  I was starting to get worried." Hitomi blushed with embarrassment.  When she had asked him where they were, he looked away sheepishly and absently scratched his cheek with his index finger.  "Actually," he began rather quietly, "I was kind of hoping you could tell me that."  Hitomi looked at him dumbly for a moment before the rest of what happened on earth caught up to her.  Van's memory was still gone, so he wouldn't have any more idea where they were than she would.

            Standing up and brushing herself off, she helped Van up and looked around.  "Well, the only way to figure out where we are," she said looking one way then another, "is to look, isn't it?" she looked back at him and smiled reassuringly.  He gave a weak smile back at her, unsure of how to respond.  That's when she noticed the pendant still hanging from Van's neck.  Suddenly, she had an idea.  "But will it work?" she thought to herself.  "I haven't tried it for years…"  Still, there was no way to go now but forward.  "Van?" she asked.  He looked at her silently, waiting to find out what she wanted.  "Could I see your pendant, please?" she asked, pointing to it.  He looked down at it, then back at her, shrugged, then took it off and held it out to her.  She took it, thanked him, and held it out in front of her.

            Closing her eyes, she focused all of her thoughts on the pendant.  Everything else around her faded from her senses, as she concentrated every ounce of energy she had on finding out which way they should go.  This was a little harder than she had first thought, as she found it difficult to concentrate.  But, as she thought about the pendant it her mind, it began to swing.  Back, and forth, back and forth.  Left and right it swung, each time giving a low hum.  The effect was quite mesmerizing, and as she lost herself to the hypnotic hum, the pendant gave a jerk, and sung to her left.  The pendant in her hand did the same, and Van's gasp of amazement brought her back into reality.  Sighing in exhaustion, she looked back at him.

            He had on a slightly befuddled expression, looking from her to amulet, and then back again.  He looked so confused she gave a short giggle, which caused him to look at her irritably.  She quickly stifled her laughs and apologized.  "I'm sorry Van," she said.  "It's just that you looked a little funny for a moment."  He just cocked an eyebrow at her skeptically and didn't reply.  Smiling a little, she held the pendant back out to him.  "Here," she said at his puzzled expression.  "It's yours, remember?" she reminded him.  He just looked at her a moment.

            "Thank you," he replied quietly and reached out his hand, taking it.

            She smiled again and looked to where the pendant had swung.  Pointing, she said "I think we should go that way.  Something tells me that we'll figure out where we are if we do."  Van eyes followed her arm to the direction she pointed.  Looking at each other, Van nodded and they both walked in the direction of the bushes.  

            Parting the underbrush, Van and Hitomi continued to head to whatever it was they were going.  After a few minutes, Hitmoi began to feel something familiar about their surroundings.  She couldn't put her finger on it, but something told her that she knew she recognized this place somehow.  They parted another bush, and Van stepped through, Hitomi following close behind.  She quickly walked straight into Van's back, and fell on her bottom.  Rubbing her rear end, she looked up to see what made Van stop so suddenly.  Looking past him, she quickly saw the source of his awe.

            There, kneeling directly before them was a massive suit of armor.  It was a perfect pearl white, with a large red stone adorning its left breast.  A flowing black cloak with a crimson interior adorned its massive shoulder pads, each bearing a large emerald gem that sparkled in the moonlight.  The headpiece looked outward silently, and a large crest like a peacock's tail feather adorned it.  It was a truly beautiful machine, that only one of the finest craftsman's hands could sculpt.  

It was the royal gumelef of the king of Fanelia, the Escaflowne.

Hitomi smiled in excitement, and laughed out loud, being very relieved.  Van just looked questioningly at her, puzzled by her sudden reaction at what they were confronted with.  Van didn't exactly see what was so great about the situation, however.  Didn't they just escape from one of these things?  "Hitomi, why are you so elated?" he asked.  "We shouldn't be here.  If one of those things is around," he said pointing at the guymelef, "Then the pilot's bound to be here also.  We should leave before he gets back!"  Hitomi just giggled, which made him even more frustrated.

She stopped when she saw that Van's mood wasn't getting any better.  Trying to calm down, she said, "I'm… sorry Van…  I-it's just that it's a little… hee hee… a little late to get…. Mmph!!... to get away…"  She said, trying not to laugh to hard.  Van frowned and drew his eyebrows.  Wiping a tear from her eyes, she looked up and clarified her first statement.  "Van, it's too late to get away because **_you're the pilot of this suit." Van suddenly looked dumbstruck.  "Don't you see Van, we're in Fanelia!  You're kingdom!!"  she finished, leaping up and hugging him.  She couldn't believe what luck they had run into.  If Van could get his memory back anywhere, it would be here._**

Suddenly though, she was aware of footsteps heading in their direction.  Van seemed to notice it, too and quickly grabbed hold of her, protectively.  The footsteps continued to grow louder, and finally several soldiers made their way out into the clearing.  They looked around quickly and one of them spotted Van and Hitomi.  Leveling his spear down, he called out to the others, who quickly surrounded them.  Hitomi looked from one to the other completely confused.  What was going on?  Didn't they recognize their own king?  Then Hitomi noticed something odd about the guards.  They didn't look the same as when she was last here… looking at one closer, she suddenly realized what was wrong.  The colors these guards wore were Asturia's! Why were they here?

"So, it seem the Count was correct about thieves after all," one of the guards said.  Assuming Van was the one in charge he addressed him.  "You, boy.  What are you doing here?  This is the royal ground of Asturia!" Asturia?  This was Fanelia!  Hitomi was completely in the dark, so she could imagine how Van felt. "Answer me, kid!  Were you planning on stealing this suit!?" he barked, flicking his spear in the direction of the Escaflowne.  Van was utterly lost.

"I don't know what you mean," he replied.  "Hitomi and I were lost, and were trying to find out where we were.  We came through here, and-"  The guards just laughed before Van could finish.  Looking back at the two, the guard just smirked in mirth.

"Right," he said, snickering.  "You expect up to believe something like that, do you?" he quickly looked around the clearing, searching for something.  Obviously not finding it, he looked back at them.  "And where'd the rest of your band get to, huh?"  One of the other guards piped up at this point.  "They most likely left them here when they heard us coming," he said with a sneer.  The others gave another short laugh.  "You're probably right," the first one replied.  "So, you got dumped by your friends, did you?"  He spat at the ground.  "I don't blame them.  We don't care for rouges around here kid.  Whether they're guys," he said, looking at Van. "Or girls," he finished turning his gaze to Hitomi.  She grasped Van's arm a little tighter at this.  

Gritting his teeth, Van looked at the head guard defiantly.  "Look, we didn't come here to steal this thing!" he exclaimed.  "All we were trying to do was figure out where we are!  Why won't you believe us!?" he demanded.  The guard just spat again.

"Yeah well, that's a pretty convenient story kid.  A little too convenient, if you ask me," he said, motioning to the other guards.  They closed the gap between themselves and Hitomi and Van.  "We'll just have to find out what the Count wants to do with you." He said slanting his spear across his chest and turning around.  The other guards began to move, taking Hitomi and Van with them.  Hitomi was just worried about what was going to happen next.  Why was this all so wrong?

****

            Count Averius Dukahl was a man who knew his place in life.  And that place was well under the heels of men more powerful than himself.  After all, why should his life be stressful when he could have someone else make the important decisions instead?  Some people didn't like these sort of positions because it was un-dignifying.  But Dukahl had little use for dignity, especially when the rewards reaped from those positions were so much more gratifying.  

            Speaking of which, he was currently enjoying his current position quite well, thank you very much.  King Aston had chosen him to act as Governor of this backwater country called Fanelia.  It seemed the former king had disappeared, right before Aston and the other higher-up had declared it as part of Aston's territory.  Dukahl wasn't certain why Aston had chosen **him to lead this place, but he wasn't about to lodge any complaints.  He had a beautiful castle, a prosperous land, and didn't even have to lift a finger to manage it.  That was what his advisor Daedalus was there for.**

            Thinking about the man seemed to summon him from out of nowhere, Dukahl was beginning to think.  Daedalus appeared out of the shadows and walked up to stand next to the Count.  For some reason Dukahl didn't like the arrogant prick.  It wasn't the fact that he acted superior that made Dukahl dislike him.  For some reason he couldn't help but hate the jerk.  Perhaps it was the way Daedalus carried himself.  He had brown hair, and an olive complexion with a body that would attract more than a few feminine eyes.  Dukahl himself was a small man, with a pot-belly, and a receding hairline.  It went without saying that he wasn't exactly the life of the party.  Regardless of the fact he couldn't figure out why he hated Daedalus, Dukahl sat back and listened to what he had to say.

            "Dukahl, I have just heard that the guards have captured two bandits near the Escaflowne…" he began.  Dukahl paid only half attention.  What did he care about that ancient Ispano guymelef?  He couldn't pilot it, and wouldn't have done so even if he could.  And the idea of guarding the damned thing was Daedalus' in the first place.  As Daedalus droned on with his report, Dukahl gave the man a sidelong glance.  Why was this man able to push Dukahl's buttons?  Until he had met Daedalus, Dukahl wasn't even aware he **_had any buttons.  But whatever it was, he couldn't shake that feeling of distrust and loathing he got whenever this sod-pile was around.  "… So when the guards arrive, you are to let the prisoners speak.  Then, have them placed in the dungeon." Daedalus finished.  Dukahl suddenly realized that the other man had finished talking, and was waiting for a sign of compliance from the Count._**

            "Er… Yes, of course Daedalus.  I'll have them sent down to the dungeons immediately," he replied a little more hastily then he would have liked.  Damn that man!!  He had to find a way to get rid of him so that he could breathe again!  But that was something to dwell on later.  Daedalus said nothing and merely turned back and receded back to the darker areas of the castle hall.

            Daedalus made his way effortlessly through the castle halls.  Turning first one way and then the other he quickly found himself in the eastern part of the castle, where he normally kept himself when not wasting his time with that fool, Dukahl.  How such a pig had achieved the status of "Count" was something Daedalus would never understand.  Walking down one set of halls, he finally stopped before a door and opened it, stepping inside.  At the far end was his bed; along the left side of the wall was a desk that was littered with ancient books, herbs, and other such oddities.  The right corner contained two chairs and several shelves lined end to end with books of all different sorts.  It was here that his real task was being done: locating the remaining Dragon Armors.

            It was never an easy task, and he was thankful other agents of Belshezzar's were doing the same around Gaea.  Locating the Armors required the use of Arcane magiks, and the use of the power only Atlanteans could wield.  Because after all, it was an Atlanean herself who hid the armors, wasn't it?  However, he was soon to notice that he would have no time to dedicate to his search.  For seated there at one of the chairs, idly leafing through a book he no doubt pulled from the shelf behind him, was Belshezzar.

            Noticing that Daedalus had entered the room, the older man smiled and put the book down, motioning for his son to join him.  Daedalus did so, and poured some wine for himself and his father.  Accepting the drink, he took a small sip.  "Thank you, Daedalus," he said, holding the crystal glass between his fingers.  Looking at the other man, he asked what had kept him so busy.

            "It was a little thing, father," he replied.  Taking a drink from his own glass, he swirled the wine around slightly.  "It seems that your guess about the pillars of light we saw earlier was correct.  The guards found two children in the clearing where the Escaflowne is being kept."  He took another sip and looked over at Belshezzar, who appeared to be lost in thought.  "Father?" he asked cautiously.

            This seemed to gain his attention.  "Oh, I'm sorry, Daedalus.  I was merely thinking about something…" he rubbed his eyes tiredly.  "I'm beginning to grow too old for this.  So, what have you learned about the Escaflowne?" he asked, leaning back.  "Have you been able to get it to activate, yet?"

            Daedalus shook his head.  "No father, I'm afraid I haven't.  The thing doesn't wish to respond to my commands." He gripped his glass a little tighter.  "Everything I have tried so far has been totally ineffective.  It still stays dormant in that clearing!" The Escaflowne was the guymelef used by the royal family of Fanelia.  It would only serve the country's king, and no one else.  But above that, it was a device crafted for Atlantean hands.  Daedalus was certain that he would be capable of getting it to move and obey him, but the stubborn machine had refused him constantly.  It was an embarrassing fact that angered him to no end.  Thinking about it caused him to tremble in silent fury, and he hadn't noticed that his father had done anything until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

            Looking into Belshezaar's face, he saw the old man smirking.  "It seems that you might need a new glass, Daedalus." He said, shifting his eyes over to his son's hand.  Daedalus looked over to his father's object of attention and noticed that he had broken his wine glass, the liquid dribbling slightly down his clenched fist.  Cursing silently, he opened his palm and let what was left of the forsaken cup fall to the floor.  Belshezaar gave a small laugh.  "It's all right, my son.  In truth I didn't expect you to be successful in your attempts to subjugate the armor."  

            Daedalus was taken aback.  Belshezaar knew that Daedalus wouldn't be able to control the Escaflowne?  Then why…?  "Why did you send me here to retrieve it father?" he asked, giving voice to his questions.  At this his father shook a finger at him.

            "I did not send you here to retrieve the armor, Daedalus.  Merely to guard it and keep it safe.  Above the others, the Escaflowne was the armor Varie had to be most protective of.  She would have made sure that only a select few could pilot it."  He looked towards the window, in the direction the Escaflowne slept.  "That beast has already chosen its master," he said quietly.  "It knows that the young king of Fanelia is still alive, and will not allow itself to serve under any hand but his."  Belshezaar frowned and collected his thoughts.  Without opening his eyes, he said, "Daedalus, I want you to go and see those two in the dungeons.  But do not kill them, as we had originally intended."

            Now Daedalus was more confused than ever.  Belshezaar had somehow guessed that the former king of Fanelia would arrive in that pillar of light, and had wanted Daedalus to go to the dungeons and dispose of him, so there would be no reason for King Aston to withdraw from Fanelia.  Why the change now?  "Father, if I might ask, why did you decide to change your mind now?"  

            His frown deepened.  It seemed he himself didn't know the reason for his decision.  "I have a feeling that we will need that young man, for the time being at least."  He opened his eyes and looked at Daedalus, his gaze fierce and commanding.  "Go to the dungeons and speak with him.  See what you can learn about this young man.  I have a feeling that what we have to learn from him may be of some importance."

            Daedalus knew better than to refuse what sounded like an order coming from his father.  Inclining his head, he replied.  "It shall be done, then.  I will find out all there is to know about the boy."  His father nodded, then stood up and went to the window.  Throwing it open, he unfurled his wings and took flight, soaring above the fields of Fanelia.  Daedalus turned back to his desk.  He had to prepare for the inquiry to come…

****

            For the fourth time that night Van looked over at Hitomi.  She was asleep now, sprawled across the hay that served as the prison's bed.  He felt absolutely miserable.  She had been trying to help him regain his memory, brought him here, and was excited about the fact that they would finally, _finally be able to cure his amnesia.  But now they had been brutally escorted by the guards to this castle, which she had said was his, questioned by a rather stout man about what they had been doing in that clearing, and received several beatings due to what the man had referred to as their "unwillingness to speak truthfully."  Hitomi had continued to protest that they were not trespassing, and that Van was the one who should be sitting on that throne.  She had received a painful blow to the back for that remark.  When the man had apparently heard all he could stand, he had them sent to the dungeon, and that was where they were currently staying.  _

            Thinking about her brought Van back what had happened two nights ago while they were still on Hitomi's planet. What had caused him to do that when he saw her that way?  Did he love her?  No, that wasn't it.  He hardly knew anything about this girl aside from her name.  And it was obvious from her reaction to what he had nearly done that she harbored no such feelings for him, either.  So why did he almost couple with her?  And furthermore, why had it felt right when he was thinking about it?  It was all so confusing; at the moment, all he felt towards her was guilt.  Guilt for not believing what she had told him, guilt for not being able to do anything to help her when they where captured by that man on Hitomi's planet.  And more guilt when he was watching helplessly as she was beaten during their questioning.  Why was she wasting her time with him when all it got her was trouble?  These were things that Van couldn't grasp, so instead, he rolled over and drifted off to sleep.

            He was drifting.  No, that wasn't the right word; floating seemed to be more accurate.  Looking down, Van saw plains and mountains below him.  He laughed carelessly and soared through the air, zipping back and forth and performing feats of aerial skill that even birds would envy.  It felt so exhilarating!!

            Suddenly he became aware of other people around him.  Quickly looking behind him, he saw several other people quickly gaining on him.  Coming up on either side of him, they smiled.  Van, feeling he was safe with these people, smiled back good-naturedly.  They all swerved and darted, going this way and that.  Van was beginning to feel light headed with elation.  This was the best thing he had done in his life!  He felt so liberated up here above the clouds with these people around him.  They emanated a sense of kinship that Van had felt he was lacking.  All of a sudden, the others swooped down to a nearby mountain top, the last one beckoning Van to follow.

            Van's smile broadened.  He swept his arms to his sides and power-dived towards the mountain top, landing before all the other did.  They quickly touched down after him, gathering around him.  Van looked around, panting for breath.  He was still very excited from his aerial acrobatic session.  Looking in front of him, Van saw another group of people.  They were slowly coming up to Van and the others.  They were also smiling, Van noticed, and their faces radiated the same feeling of family that the others had before.  Van was completely at ease, and was feeling more content than he had for some time.  The head of the advancing group stepped forward to meet him, and Van got a better look at him.

            He was much older than Van.  If Van had to guess, this man might be old enough to be his father, or perhaps a young grandfather.  His face was dark, and he had eyes that were black and sparkled with the intelligence that only a person his age could acquire.  Small crow's feet stretched from the corners of his eyes, and more wrinkles lined his mouth, which was opened up into a reassuring smile.  This man seemed to be very happy to see Van, and stretched forth his hand, as if to take Van's and then embrace him.  Van smiled back and began to raise his hand to go through with it.

            "Don't," a voice from somewhere around him said.  Van gasped, and looked around.  Where had that voiced come from?  "Don't take his hand, Van," it continued.  "If you do, Gaea will be in terrible danger."  Van looked behind him, and saw a man a few years older than he was, with blue hair and a small tear shaped tattoo under his left eye.  He seemed… familiar, somehow…

            Van turned away from the old man to look this newcomer directly.  "What do you mean?" he asked.  "Who are you?"  The other man didn't respond, only looking at Van sadly.  Van gestured to those around him.  "How can these people endanger this… 'Gaea' you speak of?"  The very thought was ludicrous!  "They don't seem harmful to me!  In fact, I feel perfectly safe around them!"  Van wasn't sure what the blue haired man wanted, but he wasn't about to trust him.  The stranger lifted his hand and stretched it to his left.  The scene around them began to blur.  Van became unsettled by what was happening.  Suddenly they were in a huge city, with crystal spires that touched the skyline.  Beautiful fields dotted the country side amongst alabaster houses and mother-of-pearl buildings.  Van had never seen such a beautiful place.  He wondered for a moment if he had died and gone to heaven.  This thought became all the more convincing when he saw winged people soaring through the air slowly all around him.  Van looked around in awe, his mouth agape, at the wondrous scenes that confronted him.  He barely heard the other man when he spoke.  

            "Look well at what you see before you Van," he said, not once looking at the glorious spectacle that surrounded them.  "It is not heaven, as you believe it to be," this caught Van's attention.  How did this man know what he was thinking?  "We are in Atlantis, the city of the damned.  Look again Van, and see what happens shortly."  Van was skeptical, but he did as the stranger bid.  Looking around once more, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.  Then, all of a sudden, a fire erupted from one of the buildings.

            As it quickly burned to the ground, another explosion could be heard, and several other buildings were consumed in a blazing inferno.  The ground erupted in flames, tearing everything in its wake to pieces.  Not even those who soared in the air were safe from this rage of nature.  The fire reached up its fingers and completely destroyed those who tried soaring above it.  Screams of panic and the smell of burning flesh hung in the air like moisture on a humid day.  The smell made Van gag, and he quickly retched.  What was heaven only a moment ago quickly turned to hell, as people were burned to cinders in the mindless destruction of this land.  Van was terrified.  The other man only looked on the chaos impassively.

            "What you see before you is the destruction of Atlantis."  Van was horrified.  Why was he showing this to Van?  "It was done not by nature, or by their enemies."  He paused here for a moment.  "It was done by Atlantis' own people."  Van froze.  This nightmare was caused by the very people who made this land?  "It was a result of their arrogance and pride, and they paid the ultimate price for their foolishness."  Van turned back to look at him.  He looked down at Van and continued.  "Those people you were with a moment ago are searching for the lost power of Atlantis.  They need you in order to succeed."  Van became more confused by the minute.  They needed **_him?  What did he have to do with Atlantis' power?  The stranger opened his hand and pointed it at Van.  Suddenly a bright light flashed and a strange crystal appeared in the man's hand.  It was a greenish color, and round.  Looking at it, Van felt that it looked somehow familiar…  It gently floated from his hand to Van's.  "Take this," the man said.  "You will need it to power the Escaflowne.  I must leave you, now.  But know that if you need me, I will help you as much as I can."  _**

            As he turned to go, Van reached out to stop him.  "Wait!" he cried.  The man paused.  "What's your name?"

            The other man remained silent for a moment before answering.  When he spoke, Van thought he could hear a trace of sadness in the man's voice.  "…Folken."  He replied, then walked away and disappeared.  Van saw the smoldering world around him slowly fade and vanish.  He wondered silently what this strange dream meant for him.    

            Van awoke slowly, and was greeted to the sight of a man standing in front of the prison bars looking straight at him.  He was about to roll over and ask the intruder what he wanted, when he realized he was holding something.  Looking down, he noticed he was still hold the strange globe that Folken had given him.  Thinking it would be better not for this man to see it, he carefully tucked it into the straw underneath him and leaned upward.  The man before him grunted and motioned for Van to come closer.  Van did so warily.  He wasn't sure what this man wanted, so he had to be alert.

            As Van stood up face-to-face with the man, he looked over Van carefully.  He waited for a moment before finally speaking.  "So, you are the young king who has returned to cause an uproar, are you?" he asked quietly.  Van was uncertain what this man meant.  He stood there patiently, obviously waiting for Van to say something in reply.

            Van cleared his throat nervously.  The way this man looked at him, Van was afraid he might do something dangerous if he didn't get an answer that he wanted to hear.  "I, I'm not certain what you mean…" he replied slowly.  The man frowned.  Van continued, speaking a little faster.  "I don't really know much about myself, you see.  I've been told that I'm suffering from memory loss…" this seemed to lessen the other man's frown slightly.  He seemed to be considering Van's words.

            Finally the man spoke.  "Come here," he ordered.  Van stepped closer to the cell bars.  The man removed something from his neck and twisted it around his hand.  "If I find out you're lying…" he said dangerously.  Van didn't have to hear the rest of the sentence to know what would happen.  The man placed his palm flat against Van's forehead.  Van felt something hard press against his skin, like a small pebble or something.  The man looked directly into Van's eyes, and Van found that he couldn't turn his gaze away from the other man's.  He felt an intense cold spread over him from the man's hand, and involuntarily gasped for air.  The feeling lasted for a moment, and when the man withdrew his hand, Van felt himself slump to the floor, gasping for breath.  

            "Hmm… It seems you're telling the truth, your 'majesty'," he said with a slight sneer in his voice.  Van was still panting slightly, recovering from… whatever is was the man had done to him.  "I could feel your memories just beyond the outer reaches of you mind.  You still have them, but they're just beyond your proverbial reach."  As he said this, he moved toward the cell door.  Touching the lock with his hand, like he had done with Van, he stared at it for a moment, concentrating very hard.  Van, puzzled by the man's actions, heard a small click and the cell door suddenly swung open very gently, never making a sound.  Van was amazed; how had he done that?  "If I were you, I'd take my friend there," he said, jerking his head in Hitomi's direction, "And leave here.  I will make sure you are unseen."  This puzzled Van.  

            Getting up, he asked "What are you helping us for?  According to the Count, we're criminals."  The man shook his head at this.

            "I was the one who gave the order to arrest you," he looked a little irritated.  "From what I saw, you were indeed telling the truth, and were just trying to find out where you were."  He moved back over to face Van.  "I am merely trying to make amends for my mistake."  He turned away and started to leave.  "If however, you'd like to await your sentence…" he said.  Van quickly realized leaving was better than staying.  He moved over to wake Hitomi.

            "Van?" she replied sleepily.  "What is it, Van?" she asked again, rubbing her eyes.  He told her about what had happened, and she quickly cast off her doubts as well.  "We shouldn't stay around here," she said quickly.  "Allen or Merle might know what's going on; we should go find them."  Looking over to the stranger, she whispered quietly to Van.  "But can we trust him?  I don't like the way this is set up…"

            Van looked over his shoulder at the man.  He seemed to be watching them converse.  Van's eyes narrowed and he turned back to Hitomi.  "I don't like this situation either, but it's better than waiting around to see what the Count has in store for us.  We should take it."  Hitomi looked torn for a moment, then nodded.  They got up and followed the man through the castle, trying to keep up with his long strides.  For some reason, they never encountered a single guard.  Van thought it was odd, but didn't dwell on the fact.  Eventually, they reached the clearing where Escaflowne resided.  The man stood back, saying he would be on the lookout for any guards on patrol.  Van stepped up to the gem in the Escaflowne's left breast and, remembering what that other man on Hitomi's planet had done, tried to place the green crystal in the larger gem.  He then remembered that he had to have some of his own blood on it for it to work.  Realizing he didn't have any sharps items on him, he turned to Hitomi.

            Realizing what was wrong, Hitomi searched her pockets for anything that could help them.  It was to no avail.  She had nothing Van could use.  They heard a noise behind them and saw the man looking up at Van.  "If you need to use the blood-pact," he said, "I have something you could use here."  He pulled a dagger from somewhere beneath his robes and tossed it to Van.  Van caught it clumsily and looked at Hitomi.  She nodded slightly.  He looked down at the dagger for a moment.  "You should hurry," the man said again.  It won't be long before the guards notice you're missing."  Realizing he was right, Van unsheathed the dagger and placed his thumb on the blade.  Biting his lower lip, he slowly ran his thumb down the length of the blade, not enough to cut it to the bone, but enough for it to cause some blood to trickle down it onto the globe.  When the blood made contact with it, the orb glowed very faintly.  Van placed it inside the large red gem, his hand passing through the surface like it was water.  As he pulled his hand out, he watched the massive guymelef, waiting for some sign of life.  

            At first there was nothing, but shortly there was a hiss of steam and with a metallic _clank the chest-plate slid out and down as the helmet shot upward.  Van, caught off guard by the sudden movement, was flung to ground and stood up shakily to see the interior.  He shook himself off, and then climbed into the cockpit.  The hatch closed over him and the helmet slid down into place.  The guymelef got up slowly as Hitomi and the man watched in anticipation.  It stumbled a bit, but managed to stand upright.  The stranger stepped forward and looked up at the machine.  "You won't be able to leave here in that shape.  You'll have to use the flight mode to escape."_

            The Escaflowne tilted its head down to the man.  "Flight mode?" Van's voice came from inside it.  "How do I activate it?"  He looked around the cockpit for something indicating what he had mentioned.  He spotted something that looked like a pair of handles, and grabbed hold of them, pulling them towards him.  All of a sudden, the weight of the suit of armor shifted.  Part of the chest plate extended forward, and the arms folded into the body.  The breast-plate altered once more, claws extending from it.  A wing skeleton unfolded from the shoulder pads and cloth "membranes" filled them, giving the illusion of dragon wings.  The legs altered their form and extended outward, into the shape of a tail.  An opening formed on the now transformed Escaflowne's back, and Van emerged, seated on a saddle-like apparatus, holding the reigns he had found a moment ago.  The man below was smiling in approval, and Hitomi ran up to join him in the saddle.  Van pulled back on the reigns ever so slightly, and the dragon's wings began to flap.  As he pulled back harder, the dragon flapped with more vigor, and soon they were airborne, watching the ground recede away from them.

            Daedalus stood there for a moment longer, watching the two of them head off into the night sky.  Perfect.  Now everything was finished.  All he had to do was inform the Count of the prisoner's "escape" and they would be labeled as fugitives, to be hunted down by every country in Gaea.  Van would have no where to go but to Belshezaar, and then they would have another Dragon Armor and its pilot in their hands.  He wrapped his cloak around himself and made his way back to the castle.

* * * *

            Wow!!  I love ulterior motives, don't you?  Well, now we're going to move on into the hunt for the Dragon Armors!  Will Van regain his memory!?  Will Belshezaar succeed with his plans!?  Will we find out what happened to Takashi!?  Will-

Ekaterini: HEY SHEN!!!

*sigh* (Will I ever be free from this Yaoi obsessed ninja-girl?)  What is it, Kat!?

Ekaterini: There were no G-Boys over there!!  My Quatre was nowhere to be found!!!

Gee what a shame…  Guess you gotta run now, huh?

Ekaterini: Not quite.  While I didn't find the G-Boys, I did find something interesting…

Oh really?  What?

Ekaterini: I'll show you.  *whistles*

(rumbling in the distance can be heard)  Oh, now I know that's not a good sign… (Hundreds of Cheese wheels roll into sight)

GAH!!!  How'd you get a hold of Andy's band of life-threatening cheese!!?

Ekaterini:  I promised to help them find a way around Zage's all-powerful laptop.

Damn you…  DAMN YOU, I SAY!!!

Ekaterini: Now that's not very nice.  Anyway…  Cheese, Shen?

GPAC: GET THE **_OTHER AUTHOR!!!_**

Cheeses: THE OTHER AUTHOOOOOOOOOOOR!!!!!!!!!

HOLY GARBONZO BEANS ON A STICK!!!  *runs away being chased by the hired cheese* 


	8. The Mystic Dragon Armor of the Ispano

Ekaterini: Oh, hi everyone!!  What?  Where's Shen?  Um… he's a little er, "indisposed" for the moment-

YOU GET ME DOWN FROM HERE RIGHT NOW BEFORE I TEAR YOUR EYES FROM YOUR HEAD!!!

Ekaterini:  Eh, heh heh…  So, I'm introducing the next chapter for him.

I CAN FEEL THE BLOOD RUSHING TO MY BRAIN, YOU KNOW!!!

Ekaterini: Oh be quiet, you.  You've only been up there for a few hours!  So, anyway I might as well tell you about Andy's cheese before we get started, shouldn't I?

I CAN"T FEEL MY LEGS ANYMORE OVER HERE!!!

Ekaterini: Well, after they brutally kicked the bajeebus outta Shen, I gave them a computer virus that would knock Zage's Laptop outta commission.  All they have to do is find a computer and e-mail it to her.

THEY'RE GONNA COME AFTER YOU NEXT ONCE THEY REALIZE THEY DON"T HAVE ANY HANDS!!!

Ekaterini: Hmmm, that's a good point.  Esca, dear?

Esca Chick: *poking Shen with a stick* Yeah Kat?

Ekaterini: Could you go reinforce the door?  I don't like the idea of a bunch of blood-thirsty cheese storming in for vengeance due to a slight programming flaw.

Esca Chick: Sure thing!!

YOU'RE BOTH DEAD AS SOON AS I GET DOWN FROM HERE!!  DO YOU HEAR ME!? **_DEAD!!!!_**

****

Ekaterini: So, enjoy the chapter and stay tuned for the special Yaoi extra to follow!!

* * * *

The Vision of Escaflowne: Reunion

Chapter 8:

The Mystic Dragon Armor of the Ispano

            Takashi slowly opened his eyes to a place he had never seen before.  Shaking his head groggily he sat up to try and figure out what had just happened.  Then he became aware of just how heavy he suddenly seemed to have become.  This immediately caused him to snap wide awake, as he surveyed what the cause was.  He seemed to be in a cockpit of some sort.  His arms and legs were in the confines of some sort of strange harness, and when he moved them, he could hear something outside move in unison.  Thoroughly puzzled, his mind raced back to what had occurred and why he was here.

            The first thing he remembered was that he was inside the gigantic suit of armor he had found.  This fact caused him to momentarily forget his strange predicament, as he became excited.  It worked.  The suit really worked!!  This proved his theory that Atlantis did exist!  And now he could use this wonderful machine to find it!  He could feel the raw power of his anticipation surging through his veins.  He had to get out and figure out his next move; after all, now that his first step had been completed, he had to devise what to do next.  Searching around, he found a catch.  Flipping it, he heard the machine hiss, and with a clank, he removed his hand and feet from the harnesses and leapt down to the ground.

            It seemed as if he had fallen into a forest of some sort.  The shrubbery was dense, and the foliage extended upward for miles.  He looked back to his suit, which was sprawled across the ground sitting, after a fashion.  Realizing it would be alright to leave it for the moment, he strode ahead, to find some sign or marker that could tell him where he was. 

            "I wouldn't do that, if I were you," a voice from behind him said.  Takashi froze.  Turning his head around slightly, he decided to get a better look at his sudden arrival.  Preferably without him noticing.  It didn't seem too effective though, as the stranger continued speaking before Takashi could finish moving.  "Oh come now," he said.  "There's no need for such apprehension.  I mean no harm to you."  Realizing that Takashi wasn't in a situation to argue with the other man, he turned around and was greeted to a sight that received his full attention.

            There, with his back to Takashi, was a man in dark violet robes analyzing the suit of armor Takashi had acquired.  But it wasn't this man's obvious rudeness that shook Takashi.  It was the fact that the man had a pair of white wings trailing from his back.  Takashi was in the presence of another Atlantian; one which was not Van.  Takashi could have almost cried for joy.  Apparently feeling Takashi's eyes in his direction, the other man turned around to look at him.  Takashi noticed this man was much older than he was.  He had steel-gray hair, and an olive complexion with a face that was well defined by the creases it bore.  The eyes were sharp as a hawk's, and Takashi could tell this man was no one to be trifled with.  Takashi would have been a little intimidated, if he hadn't dealt with this man's type before.

            "So you have brought us Agamemnon, have you?" he asked, more to himself than to Takashi.  Agamemnon?  What did that old conqueror from the Greek myths have to do with this?  The man turned his head back to the armor and said "Of all the places to hide it, the Mystic Moon was the last place I would have thought to look.  Well done, Varie."  He said this so softly that Takashi might not have heard it if he hadn't been paying so much attention.  

            He decided it was time to get some answers from this man.  Folding his arms over his chest, he cleared his throat rather noisily so that the old man could hear him.  Turning back to Takashi, he waited for the boy to say something.  "Well," Takashi began.  "I'm happy to see that you recognize that," he said pointing to the armor.  "Now, maybe you'd like to tell me why you know about it, and why you felt I shouldn't leave it."  The other man remained silent for a moment, and Takashi just stared evenly back at him.  Expressing anger or impatience was a sign of weakness to others, and Takashi knew that the first impression was always the most important one.  The old mans eyes traveled down to the ring Takashi wore, then back to the armor, then back to his face.  Takashi remained waiting for some kind of response.  

            "Show me your wings," the man merely replied.  

            This caught him off guard.  How did this old badger know Takashi had wings?  He knew better than to try and play dumb; this old man would see right through him.  Resigning himself, he unbuttoned his shirt and let it fall to the ground.  He then allowed his wings to spread from his back.  Standing there with his wings fully outstretched, he watched as the old man made a circuit, inspecting every inch of his wings.  He could feel the man threading through the feathers and looking at how fast the feathers fell from his back.  After he had inspected both wings completely, the old man walked back around and brought his face directly in front of Takashi's.  Squinting slightly, the old man frowned as he gazed at the younger face before him.  Takashi heard him say "two different colors…"  He sat there examining for a moment more, then stepped back and told Takashi to put his shirt back on.  

            Doing so, Takashi decided to speak again.  "Well, since I seem to have passed your little 'inspection' perhaps you care to tell me where I am, and who you are?" The old man, strangely, gave Takashi a warm smile and proceed to walk back to the machine.  Takashi just felt his eyes narrow and marched after the old man, who had begun to lightly stroke its metallic surface.  "Well?" Takashi asked, with just a trace of impatience in his voice, irritating him that much more.

            He turned back to the young man and smiled again.  "Yes," he replied.  "How rude of me not to introduce myself.  I, young man, am called Belshezaar.  And the Agamemnon is a machine that I helped build."  Takashi almost let his jaw fall to the ground.  This old Atlantian built this thing?  Takashi's eyes widened slightly.  "As for your other questions," he continued turning around and sitting on the machine, "I said it would be unwise to leave it here because there are bandits here that steal Guymelefs and sell them." As if on cue, Takashi heard some rustling on the underbrush. 

            Several dozen men had entered the clearing.  Takashi could see they all had weapons, and they didn't look too friendly.  One of them advanced forward, brandishing his sword.  "Well what's all this then?" he said.  "It seems as though we've found ourselves a few travelers here, eh mates?"  The others snickered.  The head man turned back to Takashi and pointed his sword at him.  "If I were you pal," he said laughingly, "I'd grab the old man and leave while I had the chance."  Takashi didn't like the suggestion, and felt the need to put this fool in his place.  He backed up to his acquaintance and was about to tell him to stay back, when he noticed the old man had stood up and moved next to Takashi.  

            "You children seem to think you have a superior edge merely because there are more of you here." He said.  It wasn't a question, merely a statement.  Takashi was a bit confused.  This man obviously had no weapons to speak of, and seemed too old to fight off this many opponents.  So why was he insulting them?

            The bandits had apparently disliked being called children, because their grins and snickers had turned to scowls and angry mutters.  Takashi thought the old man was being an idiot, and had no intention of doing anything to support him.  "Watch your mouth you old goat!  Do you want your tongue cut out!?"  the head bandit snarled, pointing his blade directly at the old man.  He just stared back unemotionally.  

            "Such toys aren't going to do you much good, child." he replied.  This made the mutters increase.  "You should depart.  I have no desire to harm you, but I will if so inclined."  At this the bandits laughed.  Takashi had formed the opinion that the man was insane.  He was playing dangerously close to rather violent end.

            The laughter died down and head bandit just grinned wickedly.  "You seem pretty sure of yourself, Grandpa.  Tell you what; we'll go ahead and kill you quickly.  You might actually get lucky enough to knock one or two of us out."  The others readied their blades and prepared for the order.  Takashi's muscles tensed, as he instinctively knew the approaching danger.  The head bandit grinned once more, and pointed his sword straight at the old man.  "Attack!!" he bellowed.  Takashi waited for a moment.  Nothing happened.  The head bandit turned to his fellows.  "What are you idiots doing!?  I said kill him!"  They remained perfectly still, but Takashi thought he saw something odd about them.  The head bandit's scowl deepened.  Then one of the other bandits piped up.  "We… We can't… can't move, Gerald!!"  The head bandit turned back to the speaker in surprise.  Then he looked down at his own legs.  He jerked them angrily, and discovered that he couldn't move, either.  "What in Hell's name is going on!!?" he roared.

            Takashi looked at the bandits in amazement.  As hard as they tried, none could move a single inch.  They all stood there, their legs locked in place.  He looked back to Belshezzar, and saw him looking at the bandits menacingly.  Then Takashi noticed something he hadn't before.  A small pendant that hung from the old man's neck glowed lightly.  Belshezaar had his hand underneath it slightly, and from the way it looked, he was concentrating on the bandits.  It was then that Belshezzar spoke.  "Fools are those who judge based only on appearances.  You should have listened to my warning, children."  The bandits realized he was the one responsible for their sudden paralysis.  The old man's eyes narrowed.  "You should count yourself lucky that I have learned better than to kill you."  The pendant flared, and the bandits were flung back into the trees.  They stood up trembling.  "Now, leave us to our business, and do not interfere with us again."  They fled quickly without another word.  He watched them go, then turned back to Takashi.  He watched the old man more warily now.  "Well, then" Belshezaar merely said.  "I think it would be wise to leave here.  We can go to my castle.  Come along."  He began to walk off, then suddenly seemed to realize something.  "You do not know how to operate the Agamemnon completely, do you?"  Takashi shook his head slightly.  "I see," Belsezaar said.  "Very well, then.  Climb in and do as I tell you."

            Takashi slowly climbed back into the guymelef and brought it into a standing position.  He found the reigns and pulled back on them, as Belshezaar said.  The machine began to his and clank, as gears turned and joints groaned.  Takashi felt the structure of the machine change, and soon found himself on top of the machine on a saddle.  Looking down, he suddenly realized he sat on a black dragon.  No, not a dragon; at least not a real one.  The suit of armor had changed into the shape of a monster from story books.  Its wings were massive and its head glinted coldly in the moonlight.  The tail was long and fierce, and the end branched into three points.  It seemed to be perfectly suited to Takashi.  The old man called up to him, telling him to pull back on the reigns.  Takashi did so, and the dragon reared and flapped it wings violently.  It gained altitude and Takashi smiled coldly as he saw the tops of the trees receding quicker by the minute.  Belshezaar had flown up beside Takashi, and told him to follow.  Takashi turned the reigns, and the two of them flew off into the night.

* * * *

            Allen Crusade Shcezar stood at the bridge of his personal airship, the Crusade.  King Aston had received a report that the Escaflowne had been stolen by some thieves, who most likely planned on selling the guymelef after having done some reworking on it.  In order to recover the hijacked suit, Aston had ordered Allen to recover it and apprehend the criminals. The Caeli had been a bit skeptical about the reason behind the abduction, but wanted to return Van's suit of armor to where it rightfully belonged.  He owed Van that much, since he couldn't do anything to Aston from taking Van's kingdom.  He was so lost in thought that he nearly went head over heels when the Crusade shuddered from an impact.  Hoisting himself up he quickly he called for a report.  

            "Something big hit us on the port side, Captain!!"  Gaddes replied.  Ort had gotten control of the wheel, and was leveling the ship out.  Gaddes continued with his report after checking over Tio.  "It seems that it didn't do anything aside from just give us a good shake though."  He quickly looked out the windows for any sign of their attacker.  Tio was the one who found it, though.

            "Captain!!  It's behind us!" he yelled, pointing.  Allen quickly dashed over to the window to see what was so big that it could cause such a jolt.  What he saw almost gave him one.

            What he saw was a dark shape with a huge body, much larger than any kind of bird.  It was about a third the size of the Crusade in length, and had enormous wings, like the shape of a bat.  In fact, he began to think at first that it was one until he saw what looked like a giant snake's head come out from it.  His immediate thought was that they had angered some kind of Dragon.  He didn't dwell long on this before his brain had registered the fact that the Escaflowne was able of transforming into a dragon capable of flight.  Realizing they had found their mark, Allen quickly ordered Ort to bring the ship around.  Reeden and Katz were to man the deck anchors to catch the suit.  Everyone quickly scrambled to their tasks.  

            "Heh, who'd have though we'd be doing some dragon hunting, eh?" Katz said jokingly. 

            "No kiddin'," Reeden replied, loading the guns.  They both finished the preparation and took aim at the beast.  All of a sudden it swerved to the left, out of their target marks.  Re-adjusting aim, they caught it once more, only to have it veer off in another direction.  The odd part was that it seemed more like the pilot didn't know what he was doing, trying to overcome the turbulence of that altitude but having to rely on guesswork rather than expertise.  The two crew members quickly became increasingly irritated the more this hijacker moved out of their sights.  Finally the dragon had moved back into their range and stayed put long enough for them to get a good shot. Putting their hands on the triggers, they fired.

            Hitomi was scared to death.  "Van!" she cried, "Be careful!  You almost killed us back there!"  Van hung his head slightly at her words.  He had absolutely no idea what he was doing, and the wind resistance up here wasn't making things much easier.  Escaflowne would swerve this way and that, and it was he could do to keep himself and Hitomi from plummeting to the ground.  "Still, I'm glad you able to pull up before we scraped against that air-ship, instead of the Escaflowne," she paused for a moment.  "But still," she thought to herself, "What would an airship be doing here this low?"  She didn't have to wait long for an answer though, as she heard something hit the wings of the dragon.  "What!?" she exclaimed.  "Van, what's happening?  We're not moving!!"  The Escaflowne was being dragged backwards by a pair of anchors.  "Straight towards the airship behind us," Hitomi realized.  Her worry increased as she saw a melef step onto the deck of the ship, sword drawn.

            The Scherezade stepped out on the Deck of the crusade, its sword at the ready.  The Escaflowne, despite all its efforts to avoid it, was slowly being drawn in by the ships anchors.  All he had to do was wait until the dragon was on board, then order the surrender of the Escaflowne and the perpetrators.  If they did not wish to go quietly, then he would have no choice but to force them to surrender.  

            The dragon had reached the deck, and now Scherezade pointed its blade towards the mechanical beast.  "You there!" he commanded.  "In the name of Asturia, I, Allen Crusade Schezar demand that you hand over the guymelef you have dishonorably stolen."  The pilot remained silent.  "Are you refusing to comply with me?"  he asked.  Still no response.  His eyes narrowed.  "Very well then.  Prepare yourself," he said raising his blade for a crushing blow.

            Van tried to grasp the situation at hand.  Apparently, he and Hitomi had been dragged on board the airship behind them, and were now confronted by another suit of armor, this one with a sword in hand.  He quickly tried to figure out a way to change the Escaflowne back into its guymelef mode so he'd have some semblance of a chance to fight back.  Hitomi had said nothing at first, but she had quickly latched on to Van's arm and began shaking it.  "Hitomi, whats…" he began, turning to see what was wrong.  The guymelef had brought it's sword up, preparing to swing.  Van quickly pushed Hitomi out of the saddle and pushed forward on the reigns, trying to see if he could at least break free to fight from the air.  Suddenly he felt the weight around him shift, and the machine quickly resumed its humanoid form.  The guymelef above him had brought his sword down swiftly, preparing to stamp out Van's life.  Without thinking he brought the Escaflowne's hands up and caught the deadly length of steel before it could pierce him.  He didn't have time to think, however, when his opponent withdrew the blade and swung again.  This time though, Van had time to move.  Rolling to the side, he leapt up and shouted at the other pilot.  "Wait, please!" he said, trying to reason with him.  "This is all a mistake!  We're trying to-"  

The other man cut him off.  "Don't try your tricks on me," he said, swinging his sword.  Van leapt backwards, avoiding the blow.  "Now draw your sword!  Honor states that I must fight steel with steel."  Van was baffled.  This man was trying to apprehend him and yet wanted to do so honorably?  He was obviously a dedicated knight or else mocking him.  Van wasn't quite sure which one it was, yet.  The knight charged again.  "I said draw!" he said, with a bit more pressure this time.  Van sidestepped, but was unprepared as the knight swept his blade to the side.  Van braced himself for the blow, but it never came.  Van opened his eyes and gasped.  The Escaflowne had pulled a dagger from somewhere and had used it to repel the attacker's assault.  But how did Van know where it was?

Allen grimaced slightly.  This thief knew more about how to use a sword than he had first believed.  Perhaps it was time that Allen play a little more seriously.  Breaking off his attack, he retreated backwards, then quickly thrust his blade forward, in an attempt to shatter the energist inside.  The Escaflowne quickly stepped to side, its arm receiving the blow instead.  Allen scowled a bit more.  He didn't have time to be playing around with an amateur.  He turned to face the other guymelef.  "Well, it seems you're a bit more skilled than I first gave you," he swung his sword up and pointed.  "But you should know I'm only going to give you so much leeway before I end this.  You can surrender now, or later; it's your choice."

The other suit remained silent for a moment, then the pilot spoke.  "How do I know you won't try to kill me or Hitomi if I **_do surrender?" he asked.  Allen's eyes widened.  Hitomi?  What did this man know about Hitomi?  Scherezade's head turned in the direction of the person who had jumped off the Escaflowne.  The guymelef's sword dropped to the ground with a deafening __CLANG!  The melef immediately dropped to one knee and opened, with Allen hopping out and running to the lone figure.  "Hitomi!!" he called out.  Her head came up at the sound of her name._**

Van saw the other suit turn its head in Hitomi's direction.  He tensed, prepared to try and stop it before it did anything threatening.  He was surprised to see the sword drop from its hand and then see the pilot climb out and run towards Hitomi.  Thinking that he was going to hurt her, Van quickly dropped out of his own suit and followed, trying to find a way to beat an armed knight while he himself had nothing to fight with.

            Hitomi couldn't believe it!  Out of all the people she expected to see, Allen was the last one she had guessed.  With a laugh of delight she ran towards his rapidly approaching form and the two shared a warm embrace. "Hitomi," Allen said.  "It's so good to see you!  How did you get here?  Who brought you?" he asked.  Hitomi pulled away from him slightly and was about to answer him when she saw Van running towards them.  She smiled slightly as he looked from one to the other in curiosity.  

            "Allen," she said.  "It's kind of a long story."  By this time two of Allen's crew members had run over to the group.  They hadn't noticed Van, however.  That or else they were too busy getting over the fact she had returned.  It made her a little embarrassed. "Maybe it would be best if we went inside.  What do you think Van?" she asked. He looked around at the people gathered about him, and gave a very small shrug. 

            At the mention of Van's name the others looked like they had been hit with a lightning bolt.  Allen spun around to see for himself that the young king of Fanelia had returned as well.  "Van!" he exclaimed.  "It's you!  You're back!"  He quickly ran and embraced the younger man.  Van merely stood there for a moment before pushing Allen away from him.  "Van…?" he said questioningly.  The other two were looking at Van with confused expressions as well.  Hitomi bit her lower lip nervously.  

            Removing Allen's hands, Van looked over at Hitomi.  "Hitomi, who is this?" he asked.  Allen's eyes widened.  He looked at her for an explanation.  "Do you know this man?" Van asked again.  Turning back to Allen, he asked "Where are we?  And why were you trying to kill me!?"  He asked, grabbing hold of Allen's shirt.  The other two shouted and began to move to help but Allen gave them a stern look, telling them to be still.  They looked uncertain momentarily, then did as they were told. 

            Allen turned back to look Van in the face.  Frowning slightly he said.  "Van, what's wrong with you?  I'm Allen Schezar, remember?"  he said, trying to see if Van recognized the name.  Apparently not, because his expression remained unchanged.  "You know me, Van," he continued, trying to figure out what was wrong with his friend.  "We met several years ago, after your country was destroyed by Zaibach."

           Hitomi decided now was the best time to speak up, if any was.  "It's no use, Allen," she said.  He looked over at her.  "Van's memory is gone.  He can't recall anything from before just recently."  He looked back at Van in shock.  He had let go of Allen's shirt, but still watched him warily.  "We should go inside and tell you what happened." Hitomi said.  Allen nodded slightly, and the four of them went inside the airship.

* * * *

            Daedalus was working feverently at his lab.  He had to find the exact location of the next key-energist.  Without it the next Dragon Armor would be useless.  Pouring over maps, he concentrated on the various areas of Gaea trying to find a clear glimpse of the item in question.  Taking out a small vial, he poured some of the contents onto the map, above the picture containing a lake.  Closing his eyes, he held his pendant above this spot and began to concentrate on it.  Soon, he received an image in his mind of the lake bottom.  He looked through the "eyes" of the various aquatic beasts in the depths of the lake, for some sign of the object he sought after.  Seeing nothing, he let his concentration go and his consciousness returned to this room.  

            He sat back and rubbed his eyes tiredly.  He had been searching all night for the energist and had found no luck.  Finding the Dragon armors was relatively easier than this.  They emitted a stronger aura than other Guymelefs did.  So t was simply a matter of locating an area with a strong sense of a guymelef, but few that were actually present in the area.  Finding the key-energists was much more complicated though, because their wavelengths were so similar to normal energists that finding them was extremely difficult.  The fact that there were so many normal energists in Gaea complicated things much more.  He was beginning to wonder if he'd ever find the damn thing.  

            Suddenly his door banged open.  He looked over to it nonchalantly.  In the doorway stood the Count.  He sighed in exhaustion, and looked back to his work, speaking to the count shortly.  "What is it Dukahl?  I'm very busy and don't have time to waste right now."  He waited for the Count to say something.  After a few moments, he looked back up and saw that the count had been joined by several guards.  The corners of Daedalus' mouth turned down slightly.  What was this idiot planning.  

            Count Dukahl had a grin on his stubby little face that was spread from ear to ear.  "There he is, Gentlemen," he said, pointing to Daedalus.  "This man is responsible for letting two prisoners escape and steal the royal guymelef, Escaflowne."  Daedalus' frown deepened.  "Daedalus Torvanus, I place you under arrest under the charged of treason to the crown."  He said, his grin widening.  So, the little maggot had followed him, did he?  Daedalus got up and faced his affronters.  "You're going to come quietly, then?  I'm afraid we can't have that.  If you don't resist, how will I be justified in carrying out a death sentence?" he said, motioning to one of the guards.  He drew his sword with a smirk and advanced.  

            Daedalus gave each of them a level look.  "You truly are foolish, you pathetic excuse for a pig," he replied wearily.  Dukahl's eyebrows shot skyward.  "I really don't have time to do this, but you seem to be begging for release."  He placed his hand beneath his pendant and concentrated on the advancing guard.  He froze in place, every joint locking up.  Daedalus concentrated harder, and the man soldier began to scream.  The others looked on in horror as the helmet the soldier wore slowly contracted, crushing his skull.  The soldier fell in a lifeless heap, as the blood from his head flowed onto the ground.  Daedalus could have done that quickly, but he wasn't in the best of moods right now.  

            The others looked in shock at the bloody mess that was formerly a human.  Their eyes slowly went back to Daedalus' who was staring at them coldly.  They tried to back out the door, but suddenly realized they couldn't move.  Dukahl had begun to sweat profusely.  "Daedalus you bastard!!" he shrieked in panic.  "Release me this instant!"

            "No," he replied shortly.  He strode up to his paralyzed quarry.  "You won't have to remain here for long though," he continued.  These humans really weren't worth the compassion his father was giving them.  "You could have been content to merely sit back and remain on your throne, but I believe that you are not deserving of that title."  Dukahl began to sweat more.  One of the other guards gave a short but loud gurgle.  His head whipped quickly in the sounds direction and his teeth began to chatter uncontrollably.  The guard's chest plate had crushed his chest.  He lay there, head to the side, spread-eagled, and his chest was as flat as a piece of paper.  Dukahl's ever increasing terror grew as the pool of blood from that soldier seeped onto his shoes.  "You see, Count," Daedalus continued, "I don't like humans.  They are very savage and greedy.  If they sense a threat, they snuff it out without remorse.  They live on cruelty and deceit."  Dukahl heard the sounds of bones snapping and turned to see what it was even though his mind didn't have any desire to do so.  It was an involuntary reflex.  The guard had his arms and legs snapped right off by his arm guards and greaves.  He crumpled in a useless heap, like a child's rag doll, the appendages flapping like rubber as he fell.  He convulsed violently before going still.  Dukahl was now very nervous.  He was the only one left.

            "W..w-w-w-hat-t-t d-do y-y-you m-me-mean you d-don't l-like 'humans'?" Dukahl squeaked.

           Daedalus turned back to him.  "I mean that I am not one, Dukahl." He said.  Wings suddenly sprouted from his back, and Dukahl nearly fainted.  He was facing an Atlantean!  An Atlantean that had him frozen and was about to kill him…  "So," Daedalus said, with a tone of finality, "you can see shat I think of your kind, pig.  Goodbye."  Dukahl felt his breath shorten.  The collar of his robe had begun to constrict, cutting off his supply of air.  Daedalus watched emotionlessly as Dukahl's eye's bulged and his tongue became swollen.  His face changed colors and eventually the collar had pinched so tight that it had cut the fat little man's head right off of his shoulders.  A small bit of blood squelched from the neck, and the body fell to the floor, the head still purple and staring up at nothing with bulging eyes.  Daedalus remained looking at the corpses that littered his doorway before returning to his work.  He had to find the next key-energist.  Nothing else mattered at that moment. 

* * * *

            Allen had listened to Hitomi's whole story from beginning to end.  His eyebrows twitched slightly at what had happened to her while they were with Takashi, but aside from that, he did or said nothing.  When she had finished, he closed his eyes for a moment to contemplate.  What she had said was an awful lot to take in.  Someone else from the Mystic moon had been after Atlantis' power?  That was probably the cause of his premonition earlier.  He opened his eyes and looked over at Hitomi.  Her attention was on the door.  Van hadn't come with them at Allen's request.  Since he had someone with a similar problem, he felt it wise that Van not need to go over such things so soon.  Which brought up the matter of what they were going to do now that they had two cases on their hands.  This was becoming very troublesome very fast.

            "Hitomi," he said quietly, causing her to look back over at him.  "Listen; did you recall what this man… Takashi…" he rolled the strange word around for moment in his mind. "Do you know why he wanted to go to Atlantis?  Hitomi shook her head.

            "No, Allen.  He brought us there to show him how to pilot the gumelef he had found," at the mention of this, Allen's countenance fell.  It was still unbelieveable to imagine that a guymelef had somehow gotten to earth.  And the fact that it resembled Escaflowne so closely was even more disturbing.  What did it all mean?

            He heard a small noise and saw Hitomi yawning tiredly.  He had forgotten how late it was.  Standing up, he helped her do the same.  "Forgive me, Hitomi," he said apologetically.  "You must incredibly tired and all I've done is keep you awake with my questions.  Why don't you go off to bed?"  She sighed dreamily.

           "Hmmm… bed.  That sounds very inviting."  She gave Allen a coy look.  "It's nice to see you haven't changed much, Allen."  He smiled at her.  "But you should know you'd only be wasting your time on me this time around."  He laughed and she joined him.  

            "Don't worry Hitomi," he replied warmly.  "The only feelings I have towards you are strictly plutonic."  She just playfully brushed him off and went off to find a vacant room on the airship.  He stood there for a moment longer then sat back down, the event of the night weighing too heavily on his mind to allow any rest.

            Van walked through the halls of the airship Hitomi had said was called the crusade.  Wherever he went there was someone who had exclaimed how good it was to see him and Hitomi again.  He would just smile nervously and pretend to know what they were talking about. Eventually he found himself at the mess hall, where a young girl and an older man were arguing.  "Look Miss Celena," he said.  "You've done plenty, but the captain'll have my head if he finds out that you've been working behind his back!"

            She seemed not to notice the other man's concern.  "Please Teo, let me help a while longer!" she pleaded.  "I want to do something to help you all with, but helping you here is the only thing I know how to do!"  He shook his head again.  

            "I know, and I appreciate it!" he replied.  "But you know that I can't work you for too long or the Captain'll get concerned about you.  The doctors say you aren't strong enough yet to do manual labor for extended periods of time."

            She tried to press her point, however.  "But-" she tried to interject.  

            "Not another word, Miss Celena.  Now you need to get off to bed; it's late."  With that he closed the door on her.  She stood there looking sadly at it for a moment, then turned dejectedly in Van's direction and started walking.  She didn't notice that Van was standing in the middle of the hallway and ended up bumping right into him.  

            She looked up and started to apologize when she noticed who it was she was speaking to.  The girl gave a small yelp and tried to walk off.  Van, puzzled, grabbed her arm lightly to stop her.  She looked at his hand then at him, that slightly scared expression still in her eyes.  "What's wrong?" he asked with concern.  Why was this girl afraid?  He'd done nothing to her before.  She looked away and didn't say anything.  He turned her around to face him.  She had goldish colored hair, pale skin and a crème colored dress with a mid-cut neckline.  She was slightly smaller than he was, though they both seemed about the same age.  "What's the matter?  Did I startle you too much when I bumped into you?"  She shook her head weakly.  "What is it, then?"  she remained silent.  "Well, could you at least tell me your name?"  

            She said nothing, then quietly, so quietly that he could barely hear her, responded "…Celena."  

            He mulled over the name for a moment.  It sounded slightly pleasant, but at the same time familiar.  Thinking about it, his hands slackened a little, and took that opportunity to break free and push past him.  "Hey wait!" he called after her.  But she didn't stop or look back.  In fact, it seemed to Van like she began to run even faster.  He watched her turn the corner, and looked away slightly puzzled.  "What was that about?" he thought to himself.  He heard someone calling his name, and turned to see Hitomi.  

            "I've been looking all over for you," she said walking over to him.  "Allen has some vacant rooms made up for us.  I think we should get some sleep."  She yawned.  Van realized that he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep recently, and decided it'd be good to catch up on it.

            Yawning in reply, he told her to lead the way.  She turned and started to walk off.  He did the same, but looked back down the hall way as he did so.  When they had finally reached their rooms, Hitomi went to one door and looked over at him.  "Goodnight Van," she said with a smile.  "See you in the morning."  He smiled back at her and she entered her room, closing the door behind her.  Van opened his door, then suddenly felt like someone was watching him.  He turned and looked up the hall, to see that girl –Celena, wasn't that what she said her name was?- looking at him.  They watched each other for a moment, then she walked away slowly.  He watched her go, then went into his room to sleep.  

* * * *

            Takashi and Belshezaar were in a vault located in the lower levels of his castle.  The citizens that resided here numbered a total of fifty three hundred, and when Takashi had asked what they were doing here, Belshezaar had replied sadly, "There are my people."  Takashi remained silent after that until they had arrived at their destination.  Holding up his pendant, Belshezaar focused his attention on the door.  With a click, it swung open, and Takashi found himself in a massive underground chamber.  But what inside the chamber was what caught his breath.  Three suits of armor were seated around seated in massive thrones that seemed to be carved out of the rock itself.  One was a beautiful golden color, and white cloak dangling from its shoulders.  Takashi had doubted he had ever seen so much gold all at once before.  Another was a bright flaming ruby color, with a flowing cloak the color of dawn draped around it.  The last was silver in color, and it had a cloak with a slightly violet hue adorning it.  All three closely resembled Takashi's with some minor differences here or there.  

There were ten thrones in all, and seven were empty.  Below each of these was a small pedestal, one for each throne.  Beneath the three that housed the guymelefs were three small green orbs.  They could obviously fit in the palm of your hand, and of them glowed faintly, casting shadows that danced across the walls.  Takashi was completely overtaken by the spectacle before him.  Belshezaar walked up beside him and chuckled lightly.  Takashi shook himself back into reality and looked slightly embarrassed.  Belshezaar chuckled again.  "Don't be so embarrassed.  I had the exact same reaction when I saw them the first time.  I sometimes wonder if the Ispano knew more about building Guymelefs than **_we did."_**

            Takashi looked at the old man questioningly.  "Ispano?"  he said slowly.  What a strange word.  

            Belshezaar laughed again.  "I'm sorry," he chortled.  "I forgot you weren't from this planet originally.  It will all be explained in due time."  He then turned back to the suits of armor and went to one of the vacant seats.  "Now, let us see…" he muttered.  He went from one to another, and stopped at the left of the golden one.  "Ah, here it is," he exclaimed.  "Now, for the suit.  Takashi, help me.  I'm afraid something so large requires more willpower than I can muster."  Puzzled, Takashi walked over to the old man.

            "What do you want me to do?" Takashi asked.  Belshezaar pointed to Takashi's ring. 

            "Hold that up and begin to concentrate.  Focus on bringing the Agamemnon here."  At Takashi's look, Belshezaar said "Trust me.  If you focus all of your willpower into it then I know you will be able to bring it here."  Takashi just looked at the old man like he was crazy, but figured he'd humor him.  Bringing his ring up, he focused on the read stone in the center.  Concentrating all his will into it, he focused on brining his suit to this chamber.  He was slowly drawn into a mesmerized state when he saw a pendant in his mind, with the same red stone as his ring's and, he suddenly realized, the one around Beshezaar's neck.  The pendant began to swing back and forth, and Takashi began to feel his mind move with the pendant.  It was like that for a while, until he heard a noise, and saw a pillar of blue light erupt from the ground.  Takashi was taken aback, and was even more surprised to see his guymelef appear from out of nowhere.  Did he actually do that?  "Yes, you did.  Well, with a little bit of help," Belshezaar said, holding up his pendant.  At the look Takashi gave him, Belshezaar smiled.  You said that aloud; didn't you hear yourself?"  Takashi shook his head.

            "Well, no matter," he held out one of the green orbs to Takashi.  "Take this, and place some of your blood onto it."  It had ceased glowing, now.  Takashi took hold of it, and pulled out his ornamental dagger.  Pricking his thumb, he let some blood slide onto the orb.  It flared momentarily, then shined silently.  "Just as I thought," he said looking back at Takashi.  "You, young one, are an _eklego."  His voice quickened in anticipation.  Takashi was more confused than ever._

            "I am chosen?" he inquired.  "Chosen for what?  I don't understand.  Tell me what you mean."  Belshezaar 

quickly turned away from the from the Agamemnon.

            "For the most noble of causes.  They re-birth of Atlantis, our home!!"  Takashi's ears perked up.  "Place the enregist in your hand into the Agamemnon, Takashi."  He said pointing to it.  "That energist is the key to re-awaken Atlantis' power, and you will be on of the ten to perform this task."  Takashi looked up at the looming armor before him.  Passing Belshezaar, he removed the Energist that his scientists made, and placed his new one inside the machine.  The red gem on the guymelef's left breast glowed lightly for a moment, then began to pulse, like a heartbeat.  Like his heartbeat, Takashi realized. Belshezaar spoke once again.  "Agamemnon has chosen you;  you, my boy are destined for great things."

            Great things…  The old man had no idea…

* * * *

                  Hitomi, Van, Allen, Dryden, and Millerna were all seated around a table in the Crusade's room.  Dryden and Millerna had finished listening to Hitomi's story and were both reacting accordingly.  Dryden had leaned back in his chair, glasses pushed up and hand on his chin, his brain working over every aspect accordingly.  Millerna was watching Dryden, waiting for some sign that he had decided on what to do.  Finally, he opened his eyes and gave a wry half smile.  "Well," he said, "It seems that all I've managed to think of is that my first guess as to Aston's motives were incorrect."  Hitomi and the others all groaned.  "Hey now," Dryden said.  "I may be the smartest man in Gaea, but there are some things even I can't figure out."  

            Allen placed his chin in his palm and muttered.  "Now if only you'd focus on that fact more often."

            Dryden looked over at Allen with a smirk.  "Beg your pardon, Calei?" he retorted.  "If you have any suggestions, feel free to say something."  At this, Allen looked back at the merchant son and steepled his fingers on the table.  

            "Well, since Van left, I've had a strange feeling.  Like something was going to happen," he said.  The others paid close attention.  "It's only grown since then, and I have a feeling that it won't be good for Gaea if it's allowed."  Everyone else seemed to agree on this fact.  "The only problem lies in finding out what the cause behind this is."  He looked over at Millerna.  "Whatever it is, I'm sure it has to do with your father's strange behavior as of late."  Millerna nodded.  Ever since the meeting that day a month ago, King Aston had become more withdrawn, even towards his daughters.  

            "Well," said Van.  "Now that we have something to go on, does anyone know where we should start?"  the others didn't seem to have much of an idea.  Hitomi, who had remained quiet during the meeting, spoke up.

            "I think I might have an idea," she said.  The others turned to look at her.  "Last night, a woman came to me.  It was-" she began.  She stopped before saying it was Van's mother.  Van didn't have any idea what he was yet, and Hitomi felt he wasn't ready for that information yet.  "…It was a woman dressed in old robes.  She said the Ispano would hold the information we would need."  Allen and Dryden frowned.  

            "The Ispano?" Allen asked.

            "They're mechanics, not gurus.  What would they know about this problem?"  Dryden finished.  

            Millerna stood up.  "I think we should follow Hitomi's advice," she said.  The others looked at her.  She just looked right back.  "Well, have any of you ever found her to be wrong?" she asked.  The others shook their head after a moment's thought.  "So then I think we should go see the Ispano."

            "There's one slight problem, though, sweetheart," Dryden said, leaning on the table.  They all looked at him.  I doubt Aston's going to just let us waltz off on some quest we don't even know anything about yet."  Everyone seemed to see his point.  "Especially you, princess." He said.  "After what happened during the Gaean War, I'd be surprised if he'd so much as let you out of the castle again."  

            During the Gaean war, Millerna had snuck away from the castle follow Allen and help him.  Her father had fallen gravely ill, and only when she had arrived back safely had his condition improved.  Now he had kept a close eye on Millerna, and refused to let her go anywhere without a full guard.  

            "We can find a way, I'm sure!"  she protested.  "You aren't going to leave without me.  In case someone gets hurt, you're going to need me in order to treat them."  This was true.  Millerna was a skilled medic, as she had proven several times during their journey.  

            She walked towards the doors.  Turning around, she said "Well, I suggest that we get a move on.  Who knows how long we have before this unknown crisis hits Gaea.  So you should start thinking of an excuse we can use to leave, right Dryden, Allen?"  With that she opened the doors and left.  The two men in question were left only to stare after her for a moment.  

            "She's always doing that," Allen muttered.

            "Doing what?  Getting her way?"  Dryden replied.

            "That very thing," Allen said.  

* * * *

            A few hours later, The Crusade was several dozen miles away from Asturia.  Allen and Dryden had told the king that there was a medical emergency that the doctors in Cesario needed Millerna to assist with.  Aston had been a bit wary at first, but Allen had swore that he would accompany her, and Dryden promised that he wouldn't let his beloved go anywhere without him.  This seemed to soothe king Aston, and he allowed Millerna to see to Cesario's emergency.  So the three of them found themselves (along with Merle; she could tell they were up to something) traveling to a safe distance to call the Ispano's repair ship.  

            Deciding this was far enough, Allen called for the ship to come to a halt.  It did so, and the seven of them went down to the hangar where the Escaflowne and Scherezade were being kept.  Dryden climbed up the white armor and located the signal device for the Ispano.  Pressing it, they sat back and waited as an enormous portal opened up and an equally enormous ship dropped through it.  They all proceeded inside where the Ispano waited for them.

            Dryden conversed with a small creature in a blue cloak that covered its body.  The only distinguishing feature of the thing was the fact that it had whiskers protruding from its cowl.  The others watched patiently as Dyden talked to it.  It seemed they had concluded, though, because Dryden walked up to them.  "They said they only repair Guymelefs.  Information about transactions is kept strictly confidential to respect the patron's privacy."  He folded his arms across his chest and frowned.  "Little rodents wouldn't even accept my offer to pay for the information."

           The others looked helpless.  Now what could they do?  Hitomi knew that Van's mother had told her the truth though.  She walked up to the Ispano, ignoring the other's stares.  Kneeling down, she looked at it straight in the eye.  "Please sir," she said.  "This is terribly important to us.  We have to know if you know anything about what we've told you…" the Ispano merely shook it's head and pointed at her.

            "Ispano not give," it told her.  "Ispano repair, no more.  You no need repair, you leave." It said, the cowl that muffled its voice making sound more gruff.  Hitomi thought for a moment.  

She then thought of something.  "Varie Fanel was the one who told us to see you," she said slowly.  At the mention of Van's mother's name, the Ispano's whiskers quivered slightly.

            "Varie?" it said slowly.  "Know Varie?" it asked pointing at her.  She nodded.  It seemed to be thinking. After a moment, it turned around then looked back at her.  "Follow," it merely said.  She smiled and motioned for the others to follow.  Their diminutive guide led them along various corriders and large areas where countless Ispano clan members worked diligently over a multitude of guymelefs.  Eventually he stopped in front of a large iron door.  He opened it and pointed inside.  "You go," it told them.  "Talk."  It then turned and left, presumably to assist its comrades.  The others all walked in and found themselves in the presence of an old Ispano, who was seated in a chair reading a book.

            "Yes, what is it?" it asked, not looking up from its book.  "I'm very busy, so unless it's very important, go away."  The group was a little surprised.  It was the first time they had heard an Ispano speak in full sentences.  "Well," it continued, "Out with it now, don't just stand there like children in a candy store.  Close your mouths and sit down!"  They quickly did as they were told.  "Now, what seems to be so important that you'd need to take time out of my busy schedule to speak with me, hmm?" it said, placing a gloved finger inside of the book it was reading and pulling it's eyes away.  

            Hitomi cleared her throat nervously.  "Well, sir… uh… we were just wondering if you knew a girl by the name of Varie…"  she said rather reluctantly.  

            "Varie?" it replied, whiskers quivering.  "Yes, Yes…  200 years ago that was."  Hitomi blinked.  Varie was over two _hundred years old!?  "She and group of her friends had approached us with a rather peculiar offer."  It paused momentarily to take out a pipe, lighting it, the Ispano continued.  "They said they needed a set of Guymelefs.  Important and rare ones, at that.  Made out of a substance that, ah let me think…  Can't seem to quite recall…  But anyway, those ten Guymelef we built for them were so intricate it took us quite a while to construct them.  When they were finished, Varie's friends had told us to hold on to them 'Until the time was right,' they had said._

            "Well, about a year later, Varie had come to us again.  We noticed this time that she had come alone, and was carrying a strange bag.  Couldn't be sure of what but if I remember right, they were little green balls."  At the mention of this, Van's eyebrows rose slightly.  "She had come to us to ask a favor.  She asked for us to hide the dragon armors across the planet, at locations she had chosen specifically.  We thought it odd, and the others had wanted to refuse her request.  But I felt something odd about this request, so I talked to her personally."  By this time the rest of the room was silent and those present were listening attentively to what the old Ispano had to say.  He blew a ring of smoke before proceeding.  "As it turned out, those friends of hers had had us build those Guymelefs for a specific purpose.  One, she told me, that would threaten all of Gaea if it was allowed to be carried out.  Well, she wanted to prevent this, even if it meant going against her allies.  So, out of a respect I had developed for her, I agreed to help her."  Hitomi couldn't believe it!  Varie had helped to construct these things?  "She also said that eventually, someone would come here.  I suppose that is you," he finished pointing his pipe at them.  They nodded.

            He sat up and made his way slowly over to the bookshelf.  Muttering to himself, he looked through various books until he found the one he was looking for.  "Ah here it is," he said.  Hobbling back to his guests, he held it out to them.  Varie told me that when you showed up I was to give this to you."

            Dryden stood up and took it from the old Ispano.  Looking it over, he asked "What is it?"  

            With a groan, the old creature turned and made his way back to his seat.  "It's a diary," he stated.  "It has the location of all of the armors we hid, so I think you'll need it."  He sat himself down with a grunt.  "You should be quick about it, however."  They all looked to him at this remark.  "I have heard that three of the armors had gone missing.  I'd say that Varie's old friends are already on the move."  They thanked the old Ispano for his help, and left, preparing to search for the remaining dragon armors.  

* * * *

Ekaterini:  Okay, Shen, we let you down.  Now hold up your end of the bargain.

*mumbles*

Esca Chick: Pardon?

I said… You want some yaoi?  I'll give some yaoi, you sick puppies.

* * * *

            Van wandered down the hallway of castle Fanelia.  He was completely depressed because he had just caught Hitomi having sex with Allen in the other room.  And Van thought that little tramp was faithful to him!  Well, he'd show her!  He could find much better!  With a new found resolve, his pace quickened and went out to find someone else in his life.

            Dilandau was completely distraught.  He had come all the way here to express his feelings for the one he loved, but now that he had made it this far, he had lost his nerve.  What if Van laughed at him?  What he sent Dilandau away?  He just couldn't take the pressure and that's when he sank down onto one of the benches in the courtyard.  How could he do something like this? Suddenly the doors banged open and Dilandau looked up.  There stood Van, of all people!  His heart raced at seeing that beautiful face.  It was all Dilandau could do not to jump up and say what he felt right there.  "Oh no!!" he thought.  "I think he saw me!  What am I going to say to him!?"  His knees started to buckle from nervousness.  It was too late, though; Van was coming his way.

            Van saw Dilanda standing in the courtyard.  As Van looked at the silver haired Dragon Slayer, he thought perhaps Dilandau could help him with his problem.  He was certainly handsome enough to attract a woman's eye or two.  Come to think of it, he was kind of cute…  "Did I just think that!?" Van thought to himself.  Pushing it off as a reaction to what Hitomi did to him, he went down and joined Dilandau on the bench.  Seeing that Dilandau was nervous about something, Van leaned over.  "What's wrong, Dilandau?  Something bothering you?"

            Dilandau absently folded and unfolded his hands.  "Well… yes.  I MEAN- ummm… maybe…"  Van was confused.  He had never seen Dilandau act like this before.  Putting a hand on Dilandau's shoulder, he asked what he was so fidgety about.  Was Dilandau… blushing?  "Well, it's just that… I have these feelings for someone…" he replied.  

            "Oh?" Van asked.  "Do I know him?"  Why did he have that hopeful tone in his voice?  Surely he wasn't expeting Dilandau to-

            "Well, um," Dilandau began, "Yes, yes you know him.  Quite well, as a matter of fact…"

            "Oh, I see," Van replied, slightly disappointed, though he couldn't figure out why.

            "Well, there's this guy, see…" Dilandau continued.  Van never even batted an eyelash.  Maybe Dilandau could go through with this after all!  He decided to push forward.  "And I have really strong feelings for him…"  Van nodded.  "I mean, REEEEAALLY strong feelings for this guy…" he said.  Van just watched him attentively.  "The thing is, I don't know if this guy has the same feelings for me."  He looked at Van from the corner of his eye.  "In fact, I'm sure he doesn't, because he's with a girl, right now…"  He looked for some sign of realization on Van's face, but there was none.  "What should I do?  I can't keep these feeling bottled up forever!" he finished, grabbing hold of Van's arms.

            Van blushed slightly.  He had never seen Dilandau this way before.  It kind of… excited him… for some reason.  Looking Dilandau in the eyes (God does he have the softest eyes.  And red too.  Red's my favorite color) he said "Well, Dilandau… My best solution is for you to just tell the man how you feel."  This seemed to light up Dilandau's face.  Jumping up, Dliandau gave loud call to express his joy.  Jumping back down, he took hold of Van's hands and brought his face up to the other man's.

            "Van, I'm so happy you said that," Dilandau said.  Van felt himself blush a little more.  "Because you see now I feel freeto tell you my true feelings…"

            "Dilandau…" Van said.

            "Van.." Dilanda replied. "I.."

            "Yes?"

            "I want…"

            "Yes!?"

            "I want to…"

            Yes!!?

            "I WANT TO TOAST YOU LIKE A NEW YEARS PARTY IN ITALY, YOU BLACK HAIRED LITTLE PANSY!!!" Dilandau yelled, whipping out a state of the art flamethrower and tunring it out Van.  He then began to laugh maniacally.  "MWAHAHAHAHAHH!!!!!  Moero Moero!!

            "YOUSICKLITTLESONUVABITCHIKILLYEW!!" Van yelled, while still on fire.  Whipping out his sword he swung it forward and sent Dilandau's laughing head (which was still going, and going, and going…) out into the vastness of space, where it exploded due to the enormous vacuum. Van toppled onto Dilandau's now lifeless body, and the two slowly burned together into one unrecognizable heap of charred and stinky human flesh. 

The End

Yow-WEE!!! That was unexpected, wasn't it, girls?

Ekaterini: V-Van sama…

Kat?  You okay, honey?

Esca Chick:  Dilandau sama… uuugghhhh…. *faints*

Well, that's no good…  Well, I said they'd regret their actions from earlier…  Oh well.  Bye now!!

*Runs out, then runs back in*

Oops, I think I forgot something!

*Grabs Kat's homemade Van and Dilandau plushies and rips their heads off.  He then puts them back on each other bodies, and backwards*

There, all done!  I'd better scoot before Kat comes to…


	9. The Wings of a Demon

Okay, I'm glad that's over with.  You know, sometimes I even amaze myself.  So, now that the yaoi crisis has been resolved I think it's time we move in a different direction.  Now, some of you may have read the previous chapter and when having read the parts where the characters used those "powers", you might have thought to yourself, "OMFG, thz l2m0rz s using  X-men stuff.  This suxx0rz."  Well, if you were a pathetic random lamer on various message boards, that's what you'd be thinking.  So, I will attempt to calm you people by explaining the way the Altantean powers work.  In other words, I am going to be serious.

Little flying Imp: He's lying.  This moron couldn't be serious if his life depended on it.  It's not even in his vocabulary.

Hey!!  Who said you could speak!  Get back in that cage!

LFI: Just try it carrot-top!  I'll whip you and your whole family!

You do have a point…  Oh, I forgot to mention this little guy, folks-

LFI: Who're you calling little, buster!?

His name's Gobano.  He's my recently acquired muse, since I've been having trouble coming up with-

Gobano: Don't you mean "ripping off?"

I said shut it, imp!  Like I was saying, coming up with creative material.  

Gobano: Whatever, just get on with your explanation, Chaci.  

Can't.  Out of time.

Dedicated to all of my readers, but especially Youjibaracuda, who's sitting on the fourth row from the front and holding a cute tomato.  Oh, and incidentally, Ai-chan , we men don't think about sex constantly, we just think about having a beer and seeing something naked. Get your facts straight before you start pointing fingers, please.

* * * *

The Vision of Escaflowne: Reunion

Chapter 9: 

Wings of a Demon

            In a secluded part of the Crusade, Dryden Fasa sat quietly leafing through an ancient document that had recently come into his possession.  In it contained information that could either save his planet or destroy it.  And he was the only available person who could translate it.  He always loved being the most important character in the scene.  True, Allen might have been handy with a sword, and Hitomi was able to use those strange powers, and even his fiancée, Millerna was an ample medic, but none of them would even have the proper direction of where they were going without him there.  This book would be the most vital part of their quest, and they all knew it.  It was important that he figure out what it could tell them as quickly as possible. 

            The first few parts of the book contained some descriptions on what it was they were after.  Apparently, the Atlanteans had, over 700 years ago, gone to the Ispano clan with a request.  They hadn't mentioned the details, and neither could this book, because some parts of it were too faded and worn to understand what they were trying to tell.  Oh well, speed was the important factor here, not knowledge.  The Ispano had been asked to build ten armors, made of a special type of material only they could create.  It seemed that this metal had the power to amplify… something.  What it was made to amplify, Dryden was uncertain of.  Oh well.  Perhaps he would find out soon enough.  Anyway, for transportation purposes, each suit of armor was capable of changing its shape into that of a dragon's with the ability to fly.  

            "Fair enough," Dryden thought.  So they had to find ten lost armors of Atlantis, before their unknown opposition could first.  What puzzled Dryden was the next part of the text.  The Atlanteans, for some unknown purpose, had constructed ten unique pieces of energist, unlike any that currently existed on Gaea.  The book referred to them as "Keys", but Dryden wasn't sure to what yet.  According to the book, the Keys were to harmonize with the Armor, but that wasn't all they did.  The energists would allow the suit's capabilities to increase, so the pilot would become more dangerous.  This was becoming less pleasant word by word.  If Dryden wasn't sure what the suit's purpose were, he at least knew that those suits and those energists were a bad combination.

            Dryden was so focused on the material that he didn't notice someone else in the room with him.  That fact probably would've remained the same if the silent companion hadn't stubbed his foot on one of Dryden's heavy tomes.  "Ggh!!" he grunted in pain.  He quickly clasped a hand to his mouth and peered back to see if Dryden had him.  He had.  The young merchant was looking straight at the intruder with a smirk on his face and his chin resting on his hand.  "Eheh," he said sheepishly.  "Prince Dryden!!  How good to see you!  I was just-"

            "You were just filching some of my better trinkets, weren't you mole?" Dryden finished for him.

            The interloper smiled foolishly.  He looked like a rather small balding man in his late fifties, except for the fact that his ears and eyes were small and beady.  He also had a rather odd snout, which ended in an unusual nose, and no human could have such an odd protrusion.  His smile revealed a row of unkempt, uneven teeth, which ranged in size.  He was, in truth, not a human at all, but a mole man.  "Why Dryden," he began nervously, "I'd never think about stealing from the royal prince of Asturia." He rubbed his sore toe to try and ease its throbbing.

            "Never think twice about it, you meant to say," Dryden said, standing up and advancing on the little mole.

            The mole was getting a little nervous, now.  "Now Dryden, we're men of a trade, right?  Merchants in the field, and all that?" he said with an uncomfortable laugh.  Dryden kept walking calmly toward him.  The mole started to panic a little.  Dryden wouldn't do anything serious to the mole, would he?  "Dryden?" he asked weakly.  The merchant merely pulled his hand back in response.  The mole snapped his eyes shut and prepared for the blow.  He felt the rush of air, but never felt the contact.  "Huh," he said stupidly looking back at Dryden.

            The merchant was smirking again and tossing a set of gems to himself.  "Never think about stealing from the royal prince of Asturia, huh?" he said.  The mole just stared blankly for a minute then realization dawned on his face.  He rummaged through his clothes, then sighed in defeat.  Dryden tossed the gems up in the air once more then pocketed them.  "Don't worry mole.  I won't hold it against you."

            The mole perked up hopefully.  "Really," he said.

            Dryden turned around and went back to his desk.  "Yes, really," he said.  "But I'm very busy and I think that Ort could use some help in the kitchen."  He felt the mole stiffen slightly.  He turned his head back to the thief and saw he was correct.  "Go on," he said with a smile.  "Unless of course you'd prefer the alternative…" At this the mole loosened up and backed up out of the room quickly, apologizing all the way.  The door clicked shut, and Dryden looked back at the texts and maps of Gaea with a smile.

* * * *

            Hitomi stood on the deck of the Crusade, watching Van and Allen spar.  When Allen had learned that Van had no memory of his experiences on Gaea, Allen decided it best that Van re-learn the sword.  Allen had commented that Van retained the instincts, but instinct alone wasn't going to be enough.  "Who knows," he had told her reassuringly.  "He might recover the rest of his memory by doing this."  Hitomi had to accept defeat at that.  She hated the idea of Van fighting, but realized that if it could reawaken who he was, it was acceptable.  Well, acceptable enough.  She flinched when she saw Van topple from one of Allen's attacks.  He had decided to not hold back.  They didn't have time to take things slowly, he had told her.  

            She sighed and leaned against the rail.  Why was it that she had come to Gaea once again?  Was it because she happened to be in the same place Van was when the pillar of light appeared?  No, that wasn't it.  She remembered the fear she felt when it looked like that man, Takashi was about to crush them with his guymelef.  She had summoned that pillar of light, not Van.  In all truth, she had no intention of being here right now, to remember everything that had happened.  The war, the two cat sisters, Folken, Chid, Emporer Dornkirk… It was all too much for her to want to experience again right now.  And to be back here again, to save Gaea from something even more powerful than the Zaibach army?  It seemed fate had picked her out for the role of a savior.  Well, that wasn't what she wanted.  She heard a noise beside her and looked over to see Merle watching Allen and Van as well.  She flinched as well when she saw Van fall again.

            "Why is Allen being so rough with him?" the cat girl questioned angrily, to no one in particular.  Hitomi just closed her eyes sadly.  Merle looked over to her, puzzled.  "Hitomi?" she asked.  "What's wrong Hitomi?"  Hitomi didn't move.  "Hey, come on.  You can tell me."  She shook the other girl's shoulder slightly.  Hitomi turned around and leaned her back to the rail, looking down at the floor.

            "It's really nothing, Merle," she said.  "I… I have a lot of things on my mind, and I'm having trouble sorting them out."  She looked over when she heard the other girl gasp.  She became worried by the cat girl's scared expression.  "Merle?" she asked.  "What did I say?"

            The cat girl looked scared for another moment, then sniffed a little bit and grabbed hold of Hitomi with a cry.  "Hitomi!!" she exclaimed.  "You're not thinking about leaving Lord Van, are you?  You still love him, right?" This kind of reaction shocked Hitomi back into reality.  She didn't expect that kind of question from _Merle!_

            She took hold of the cat girl's shoulders and pushed her back.  "No Merle," she said softly.  "Of course not.  I'd never leave Van.  I love him too much for that."  She smiled and the cat girl sniffed a little bit more.  "I only wish Van could remember his feelings for me," she thought to herself sadly.  "What I'm thinking about has nothing to do Van, leaving or otherwise," she said aloud.  "Okay, Merle?"  Merle just sniffed a little more then nodded.  Hitomi smiled, then looked down below when she heard Allen yelling for her.  

            "Hitomi!!" he called up to her.  "Gaddes has told me that Dryden's found the location of the first armor.  We're meeting at the Bridge."

            "All right, Allen!  We'll be there in a minute!"  Hitomi saw Allen turn to Van and say something, and then saw Van shake his head.  Allen just turned and left, while Van just sat there, looking at his sword which lay on the ground.  Hitomi just stood there for a moment looking at him sadly, then turned and left.  "Van, what were you thinking just now?" Hitomi thought to herself as she left.

* * * *

            Dryden stood before his small gathering.  Seated before him were Allen, Millerna, Hitomi, and Merle.  Van had opted to stay behind, for some reason or another.  It made little difference to Dryden how many were here, as long they those here realized that the stakes for the race they were in ran high.  Stepping up to a map that was posted up against wall, Dryden began his report on what he had discovered.

            "What we are looking at here," he began, "Is something that's more threatening than Zaibach could have ever been."  This caught everyone's attention.  He paced back and forth in front of the table while he continued.  "As it turns out, we're up against the residents of Atlantis.  Old ones, who have an extensive knowledge of what we've most likely learned a fraction of by guesswork."  He paused for a reaction.  He got one.

            Allen had leaned forward, eyes widened slighty.  "The Atlantians?" he aksed, awed.  "What are they after?"  

            Dryden decided to sit down.  Leaning on the table, he folded his hands beneath his nose.  "What they are after," he said seriously, "Is no less than the rebirth of Atlantis."  The room was silent.  Dryden continued.  "The Atleans had a great power, one that could give them their every desire.  But as we all know, that power was lost and Atlantis was destroyed because of it."  

            Merle spoke up.  "But what does that have to do with what's going on now?" 

            Dryden turned to the cat-girl.  "Everything, pussy cat.  The Atlantians, in a move to save the survivors, created Gaea, a world where one's will could influence anything, correct?"  Everyone nodded.  "Well, some of the survivors apparently weren't happy with their new home; they wanted the old one back.  So they decided to reawaken its power."

            Millerna decided to speak now.  "But Dryden," she asked.  "How would the guymelefs restore that power?"

            Dryden pushed up his glasses.  "I'm glad you asked that, dear.  The guymelefs were a special make.  Unlike any ever seen before.  They were made to harmonize with a certain kind of energist.  Ones that are not created by normal means."

            "Normal means?" Hitomi asked.  "What do you mean by that, Dryden."

            "When a dragon eats certain minerals to help it digest food, the minerals are purified and become Drag-energists.  Those energist, as we all know, are what power the guymelefs and airships, among other things."  He then leaned back in his chair.  "However, these energists that are meant for their respective guymelefs are something altogether different.  The book doesn't explain the process for making them, but their purpose is to empower something the book refers to as the "Tear of Atlantis." 

            "That's absurd!!" Allen exclaimed.  Everyone turned their attention to him.  "We all saw the ruins of Atlantis in the mystic valley.  There couldn't have been anything to survive that kind of Devastation.  How could they possible hope to restore something that's been gone for ages!?"

            Dryden tapped on the desk.  "That's where the dragon armor comes into play."  Allen gave Dryden a cross look.  "I'm sure everyone here recalls the strange effect the Escaflowne had on Van?  Well, that's the armor's purpose.  By using those energists I told you about, the dragon armor can send the will and life energy of the pilot into another energist, if it synchronizes properly.  That life energy can restore the power of an energist."

            Millerna spoke up again "So you're saying that the dragon armor pilots can empower a dead or broken energist-"

            "-Back to its original state.  Which means this 'tear of Atlantis' must be some kind of giant energist." Dryden finished for her.  He let this sink in.

            Hitomi thought back to when she and the others had returned from the mystic moon.  They had seen Varie, Van's mother.  She had given Van a green which was round.  It had flared to life and sent them to Zaibach, where they had met its insane emperor, Dornkirk.  Hitomi had never thought about it before, but they had confiscated both the Escaflowne and that strange energist Varie had given to Van.  As she looked back on it, Hitomi now wondered why they had done such a thing…

            "If this is true," Allen said, folding his hands, "Then we have to find stop these Atlanteans before they wreak havoc on Gaea." He opened his eyes, and Hitomi was a bit startled by the fierceness in them. "Gaea was nearly destroyed once by that power.  I won't stand by and let it happen a second time."

            Dryden stood up. "Well said, Allen.  Well, since I'm sure everyone seems inclined to do so, I suggest we take action immediately, agreed?" No protests were made.  They all knew the danger they were dealing with here. "All right, then.  Well, we can go about this two ways.  One: we find the Dragon Armors.  Two, we locate the Energists.  Which will it be?" 

            "Since the journal doesn't record the locations of the energists, it would be faster to seek out the locations of the Dragon Armors, wouldn't it?'

            "So then the dragon armors it is then.  I've all ready deciphered the location of the first armor.  It's in Freid."

            "Then Freid is where we will go.  I suggest you start working on the location of the next armor; we have to work quickly.  There's no telling how much farther along the Atlanteans are ahead of us."

            "I'll do my part, Allen.  You just have to make sure we get the armors."

* * * *

            After Allen had left, Van had remained seated, looking down at his sword.  He didn't want to be doing this.  He didn't want to handle a sword, he didn't want to pilot a giant suit of armor, and he certainly didn't want to be saving a world he remembered next to nothing about.  Still, the others expected it from him, and he felt that he couldn't say no to them.  Doing so would be rude on his part, especially considering the fact that they had welcomed him so openly.  Sighing, he took his sword up and gripped it.  What kind of person had he been that he knew how to handle a sword this well?  It was true Allen had bested him at every turn, but Allen had said Van had lasted much longer than any other opponent he had sparred with.  Van focused, then brought the sword up and cleaved the air with it.  He then followed through by bringing it around and back up, then swinging it and to the side again.  He practiced his word like this for a while; he wasn't certain for how long.  He did this without thought, without guidance.  He let the sword guide himself.  That's what his master Balgus had taught him.  Balgus… Van wondered what would have happened if he hadn't died…

            The sword nearly flew from Van's fingers.  Did he just remember his mentor?  He must have, who else could Balgus be?  The sword clattered to the floor and Van sunk down and seated himself as he tried to bring up the man's image.  He remembered a jagged scar that ran across a face that looked as though it had seen many unpleasantries in its lifetime.  He tried hard to recall who Balgus was and why he had taught Van the art of the sword.  After concentrating for a few moments though, he gave up.  He looked up when he heard a noise from behind him.  Standing behind was that girl from before, Celena.  Van relaxed a bit.  She looked a little nervous, but concerned at the same time.  "Are you all right?" she asked.  "I saw you collapse to the floor and…" She broke off weakly.  Van smiled at her.

            "No," he replied.  "I'm fine."  She looked at him for a moment with an unreadable expression, then made to leave.  "No wait," he said.  She stopped, but didn't turn around.  "Please, just come over here.  I want to talk for a little while." She looked a bit uncertain as to whether or not she should do so.  "Please?" Van asked again.  

            Celena hesitated, then slowly walked over to where Van sat and tucked her legs under her.  He smiled at her.  "There, see?  Now," he leaned back and lay on the deck, watching the stars pass by.  "What are you doing here?  You seem a little out of place on this ship."  He turned his head to look up at her.

            She looked up at the stars as well as she replied.  "I'm following my brother.  I go with him wherever he does." Van sat up.  Her brother?  There were plenty of men on this ship.  Which one was related to her?

            Van fingered the pommel of his sword.  "Who's your brother?  Dryden?"  She shook her head, and Van could have sworn she had giggled.  He looked over at her.  She was giggling.

            "No, prince Dryden isn't my brother.  And since he and my brother don't get along very well anyway, I'm glad he's not."  Van frowned.  Dryden was the only other one capable of having her for a sister, and if he wasn't it, then that meant that it was only one other person.  She confirmed his suspicion with her next few words.  "No, Allen Schezar is my brother."  Van looked over at her incredulously.  Of all people she had to be Allen's sister?

            Van leaned up and turned to her.  "You're Allen's sister?  He never said anything to me about it."

            Celena looked down at the deck.  "He prefers not to until I've recovered."  She said sadly.  

            Van was puzzled.  She looked fairly healthy to him.  "Recovered from what?"  He asked.  "What's wrong?"

            Celena remained staring at the floor.  "I have memory loss.  When my brother found me, I was suffering from some spasms and withdraw.  All I can remember is him, and he's never left my side since.  I've had some fainting spells, and the doctors have told me that my body is recovering from a severe trauma." She looked over at Van from the corner of her eye.  "My brother is afraid that if people knew I was his sister right now, some of his enemies might try to harm me to get at him."

            Van nodded.  Being a figure in Asturia, it'd be stupid to think that Allen wouldn't have made some enemies somewhere along the line.  "So you're here because Allen is concerned for your safety?"  Celena nodded.  "I see…" Van said.  It seemed Allen had a devotion Van had never realized.

            "Van, are you out here?  We-" Hitomi began, walking out onto the deck.  She saw Van and Celena sitting on the deck.  Together.  "Oh," she said simply.  

            Van looked over at her.  "What is it, Hitomi?  Is something the matter?" Hitomi looked from one to the other, then said "Van, I just came back from the meeting.  We're heading for Fried to get something from there.  I just thought you should know."  She turned and made to leave.

            Van stood up and tried to stop her.  "Hitomi wait!" he cried.  She just walked away, ignoring him.  He ran off after her and left Celena there looking after his retreating figure.  She watched him for a moment more then turned her face upward to look at the stars.

* * * *

            Takashi was seated at the table located in the war room of Belshezaar's castle.  With him were the pilots of the other three dragon armors: Cyril, a young woman little older than Takashi, with a bored expression on her face and hair the color of a raven.  She preferred study to action.  She was born after the Atlanteans had come to Gaea, and would rather pursue the investigation of Gaea's ruins than pilot her chosen Guymelef.  She was the pilot of the fiery Dragon Armor, Apollyon.  She was not one Takashi would have to fear in battle, when the time came.  Currently holding the attention of the other three was Daedalus.  He was auburn of hair color and olive in complexion.  He was a soldier but also fiercely loyal to Belshezaar, despite the fact they held some differences in the older man's plan.  He piloted the silver giant, Feigmund.  Takashi could perhaps use this man, if he could find a way to get past his undyining loyalty to Belshezaar.  And last was none other than Belshezaar himself.  His guymelef was the golden armor, Ziggurat.  

            The purpose for the meeting was to discuss the location of the next Dragon Armor, the Yggdrasil.  It was the green armor, and its location had been found by Cyril.  She had moved they go immediately to recover it, but Daedalus had been against this, saying that they had to locate the key energist for it, first.  The two had argued back and forth a bit before Belshezaar had broken up their squabbling.  He asked Daedalus if he had located the Key yet.  Daedalus hadn't been certain, but he believed it to be in the country of Freid.  Since that was where Cyril had located the green armor, Belshezaar told them to see if in fact the key energist was there.  The accepted this and sat down quietly.

            When the question came as to how they would attain the energist and the Armor, Belshezaar had thought for a moment for a reply.  He then said the best way to do it would be to take a squadron of Fanelian soldiers and head into the Freid mountains where the Armor was rumored to be.  Afterward, a second Atlantean, alone, would infiltrate Freid and take the sword.  This way they would avoid arousing suspicion and an incident.  Daedalus was to be the emissary from Fanelia, and when the question came as to who would be the other one to recover the supposed key, Takashi offered to do it.

            "You, Ryoji?" Belshezaar asked, mildly surprised.  The other two looked at Takashi.  Cyril with indifference, Daedalus with scorn.  Takashi paid them no mind.  "Why do you wish to do this?" Belshezaar said.  

           Takashi shrugged.  "It would be a good way to test my powers," he simply stated.  Daedalus snorted.  "And besides, I have not yet acquired a position in the royalty of Gaea.  Daedalus," he said, inclining his head to the other man, "serves as the advisor to Fanelia, correct?"  Belshezaar nodded.  "And Cyril," Takashi continued, looking at the woman, "is one of the scholars of Cesario, is she not?"  Cyril looked thoughtful for a moment before giving a curt nod.  "So you see, neither of them will be suitable for this.  It would require an unknown."  

Belshezaar frowned for a moment, then gave his approval. "Very well then.  It shall be done."  Daedalus protested, but Belshezaar silenced him with a look.  "Ryoji, you will wait until Daedalus and his contingent have gotten permission to ascend the mountains of Freid, and then you will go and find the Key energist.  Remember that you must keep your wings present.  And try to cause as little ruckus as possible, is that clear?" Takashi nodded.  "Very well, then.  Now, go and retrieve the dragon armor, and return here with it."

Takashi stood in the shadows of the forest, recalling those words.  He saw the troop led by Daedalus exit the city, heading for the mountain tops.  This was it.  Takashi pulled his shawl's hood over his face, and drew his veil up.  It really wasn't necessary he disguise himself, but he preferred to reveal as little of himself as possible, if he could help it.  Unfolding his wings, he leaped off the ground and soared upward, flying towards Freid's palace, his goal in clear sight.   

* * * *

           The Crusade was passing over Freid's airspace, while Hitomi stood at the hull of the deck, watching the land drift by.  It had taken about two days to reach Freid from Fanelia, and what Hitomi had seen that night had caused some unexpected reactions on her part.  Van and Celena, sitting there together?  What had they been doing?  How long had she been sitting there with him?  She brought her mind back to what had happened after she saw them.

            _Hitomi__ stormed past the crusade's hallways, making her way to her room.  Behind her jogged Van, who had been protesting all the way, trying to get some kind of response out of her.  She refused to acknowledge his presence, however; she just stared straight ahead, not turning or speaking to him.  She couldn't believe he had slipped out of the meeting to speak with Celena.  What was he thinking!?_

_            "Hitomi, please wait!" she heard Van cry.  This only made her lean into her strides, lengthening the distance between the two of them.  "Hitomi!!" He called out again, this time the trace of an edge in his voice.  He was actually mad!  At her!!   __Her eyebrows shot down like they had been dragged by ten ton weights.  How dare he get mad at her for something that wasn't her fault!!_

_            It was when she had reached her door that she finally stopped.  But it was only so she could swing it open to step inside and get away from Van. Just as she was about to shut it, Van had caught up and stopped it with his hand, glaring down at her.  This made her temper skyrocket.  "Van, let go of my door." She said shortly.  He didn't budge.  She tugged on the handle, trying to pry it away from him.  He put a hand on her shoulder, and she froze.  Apparently, he didn't seem to feel the anger she radiated, or else he would've snatched his away as if burned.  She glared up into his face, but instantly regretted it._

_            He wasn't glaring at her now, just slightly confused.  "Hitomi." he said._

_            Some of her anger receded at that simple word.  "What Van?" she asked._

_            "What's wrong?" he asked.  "What did I do that upset you?" at such an obvious question, some of her anger shot back into her.  How could he ask her that!?  He knew very well what he had done! _

_            "No, he doesn't," a voice inside Hitomi told her.  "He doesn't know what he's done, because he doesn't remember what you two were," it continued.  At this realization, her anger completely fled from her.  Of course.  How could he know what he had done to make her so mad when he didn't know anything about their promise?_

_"…You didn't do anything, Van.  I…" she began.  He looked at her questioningly.  She couldn't bring herself to continue.  Instead she switched subjects.  "What were you and Celena doing?" she asked quietly.  She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer._

_            "Hmm?" Van asked.  "Oh, that.  Hitomi, all we were doing was talking.  Why?" he replied.  She breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.  "Hitomi?" Van asked again.  She looked back up at him.  "Why did you ask me that?"  She just stared at him for a moment.  Why couldn't she bring herself to tell him that they had loved each other?  Perhaps she was afraid of what his reaction would be.  How would someone respond to that kind of statement in Van's situation?_

_            After a moment of deliberation, she just shook her head and smile at him.  "It's nothing, Van.  I was just curious." He looked at her with an blank expression.  What was he thinking? "I'm tired, and want to get some rest, all right?" she asked.  He nodded, then walked off.  She watched him leave, then stood there for a few moments more before she closed the door._

_            She sighed.  Why couldn't she get her mind off of what had happened?  Van said they had only talked for a while, so he must have been telling the truth, right?  So then why wouldn't that feeling in the pit of her stomach go away?_

            Van stood at the deck of the Crusade, alongside Allen.  The older man was explaining to Van, in an abridged version, what was going on and why they were going to Freid.  Van picked up most of it, but didn't understand why it had involved him.  His mind was on Hitomi and what had happened a night last night.  Why was she so upset at seeing him and Celena together?  And why, when he told her what had happened, did she looked uncertain about something?  Ever since he had come here, all he could think about was Hitomi and Celena.  Celena seemed, well odd to him.  She kept to herself, was incredibly timid, and hardly spoke a word to anyone.  The fact that she shared the same problem he did made him want to help her, if nothing else.  

            Then there was Hitomi.  By all rights, Van had dragged her into this mess.  She had stuck by him without a second question, to be sure, but she was his responsibility.  She had been harmed and threatened because of him, and that fact always assaulted him at every turn.  It was something he couldn't let go, and he had to do whatever he could to protect her, regardless of his own safety.  He owed her at least that much.  He had been mulling over these two matters for a while when he noticed that Allen had stopped speaking.  Looking at him, he saw Allen's face contorted into a mix of disbelief and rage.  He then saw that everyone on the bridge shared that look.  Wondering what was wrong, he looked at the object of their attention, and saw what was responsible.  The palace of Freid was on fire, and the city was in ruins.  

 _           _

* * * *

            A short time later, King Chid, as well as a small escort of troops, were speaking with Allen and Van outside the Crusade.  Chid's face was very bloody, and he was covered in welts.  His left eye was swollen closed, and his arm hung limply to his side.  Van noticed how Allen looked like he was holding back some kind of emotion, and wondered why the Caeli knight would be acting in such a manner.  He turned his attention back to Chid, who had been telling them what had happened.

            "So this person came into the throne room, and demanded to speak to me."  He said.  "The guards had approached him, saying that it was not right to come before the king without the proper procedure.  He just threw them aside."  At this the guards faces twisted into a slight frown.  

            Allen frowned.  "What do you mean he threw them aside, Chid?  Surely he couldn't be that strong to shove them out of his way."  Van had to admit, the idea was a bit inconceivable. 

            At this, Chid looked confused, as if he wasn't quite sure as to how to explain what happened.  "Well, that's what's so strange about it, Allen," he replied.  "He didn't touch them at all.  It was like he walked past them and they fell away from him.  I've never seen anything like it before in my life!" He eyes were wide, as he relived what had happened.  "He came up to me, doing the same to the guards who opposed him.  When he reached me, he leaned down and asked me where the key energist was."

            Allen's eyebrows shot up.  "key energist?" he thought.  "Highness, did anything seem odd this man when he confronted you?"  Allen asked.  

            Chid thought for a moment, then spoke up.  "Well, he was wrapped up in a cloak and veil.  Most of his body was covered, and I could only make out his eyes.  One was bright silver, the other a gold color with flecks of black.  They were cold and fierce.  I have not seen such cruelty up close before.  The only other odd thing about him were his wings."  Van gasped.

            Allen frowned, deeper than before.  "So it is the Altantians.  They got here first."  He was angered by the fact that not only had he arrived too late to stop them, but that his son, Chid, was harmed as well.  Allen quietly seethed in a roaring fury.  "Please, your highness, tell us what happened next."

            Chid nodded.  "Well, naturally I had no idea what he was talking about, so I told him so.  He struck me across the face for that.  I continued to say I had no knowledge of any such thing located in Freid.  This angered him, and he struck at me, demanding I tell him what he wanted to know." Allen's eyebrows drew down further with every word.  "When he realized I was telling the truth, he… he did something.  He never moved, but I felt a blow land on my head, and I passed out…"  Allen's face was on the verge of betraying him.  "When I came to, the guards were all unconscious or dead.  The stranger was gone.  I never saw what happened."

            "I'll tell you what happened!" one of the escorts exclaimed.  Allen turned to him.  "That winged devil found the door to the treasure sword."  Allen was puzzled by this.  What did the treasure sword have to do with any of this?  "The bastard took the sword, and then examined it.  After looking over it for a moment, he set it on the ground and looked at it."  At this, the guard began to tremble with fury.  "The sword shook while it was on the floor, then began to speed up.  It did this for a few moments longer, then it burst apart into pieces!!  That demon took the only thing left, the green gem in the hilt, then laughed coldly.  He then said 'You humans have no right keeping what doesn't belong to you', and then broke open a wall, and left, flying off on those accursed wings of his!!" the guard spat.  "Filthy monsters.  I hope every one of those blasted Draconians are razed off the face of Gaea!!"

            Allen turned back to Chid.  "Your highness, I'm sorry we didn't arrive in time to help you."  He bowed formally, and to hide his snarl at his helplessness.

            Chid shook his head.  "Please, don't Allen.  You didn't know.  And I doubt you could have done anything had you known."  Allen stood up, a resigned look on his face.

            "Thank you, your majesty."  Allen seemed to have calmed down a bit.  "What we came here for, though, is of grave importance."  Chid looked at Allen curiously.  "We have come to ask permission to climb the mountains of Freid.  There's something here we must find, and we have to find it quickly."

            Chid frowned again.  "The mountains?  A garrison of soldiers from Fanelia showed up earlier asking the same thing.  What's up there, Allen?"

            But Allen had a look of panic on his face.  They had already come here?  There was no time to lose; it might already be too late!!  Allen knelt before Chid.  "Your highness, we have little time.  Those soldiers are in league with your attacker.  They're looking for an important artifact, and must be stopped!  Please, grant us passage to the mountain!"

            Chid was startled.  Allen had never acted with such urgency before.  "Yes Allen, of course.  But please, take some of my men with you.  There were more soldiers than I believe you and Van can handle."  Chid was saddened by the fact he had to leave the title "lord" out when he addressed Van, but the young swordsman was no longer the ruler of Fanelia.  Allen accepted the escort, and they were shortly on their way to the mountains of  Freid, trying to stop their enemies from getting a step closer to reviving Atlantis.

* * * *

            Daedalus stood before the massive suit of armor before him.  It was a beautiful jade color, and its cloak was an amber color.  Instead of a crest, like Escaflowne or Agamemnon, This suit, the Yggdrasil, had two sweeping wings that spread out of either side of it.  The gems on the shoulder pads were also amber, giving it the appearance of a large insect.  Truly it was the most beautiful of the Dragon Armors.  Daedalus wanted to bask in it's presence longer, but he had to get this loaded onto the airship quickly.  What was taking Ryoji?

            Right on cue, the young man stepped past the guards and walked up beside Daedalus.  He removed his veil and hood, and stared up at the guymelef seated on a throne carved out of the rock itself.  He stood in awe before it, much like Daedalus did.  The other man was glaring impatiently at Takashi, and finally cleared his throat somewhat loudly.  Takashi turned to him, fixing those unsettling eyes on Daedalus.  "What is it?" he asked.

            Daedalus glowered.  "Well," he began, "Did you find the energist or not?"  Takashi smirked and placed a hand into his robes.  He withdrew a small green energist, holding it up in his gloved hand.  It glinted in the light of dusk.  

            "Is this what you're referring to, Daedalus?" he asked, eyeing the other Atlantian.  "Yes, I found it.  It was in the handle of a sword the humans below were keeping." He tossed it to Daedalus and turned around.  

           "Where are you going Ryoji?" he demanded.  When Takashi didn't acknowledge him, Daedalus asked again, louder. "I said where are you going, _misos__ drakontas?" Takashi stopped and stood still._

            "Did you just call me a half breed?" he asked dangerously.  Daedalus just snorted in response.  "I'm going to retrieve my Armor from the airship so we can load this one on board, unless of course you think you can move it by yourself." He added, half turning his head to Daedalus.  The other man frowned at Takashi's words.  "I didn't think so," he said with a smirk, and went off to equip his guymelef.

            Takashi strode out past the guards and to the airship.  Why did Daedalus call him a half breed?  He was a _full Atlantian, wasn't he?  Daedalus was only trying to irk him.  Let the miserable bastard try.  Takashi had his own plans in mind for Belshezaar's son, and by the time he was through, Daedalus would be made a fool.  He was almost inside the airship when he heard one of the guards shout.  He turned to what the guard had seen and his face contorted in rage.  Someone had found them and their airship was currently descending to their location.  He quickly dashed into their own ship and climbed into the Agamemnon.  These interlopers were foolish enough to interfere with them, were they?  He hoped they had the sense to leave before anything drastic happened.  A fight on these close quarters would be dangerous.  The massive suit of armor stood up and marched out of the airship, towards the cave which housed the Yggdrasil._

            Gaddes stood overlooking the scene below at the helm.  Another airship was docked at the cliff entrance, with a good 3 dozen soldiers at guard.  To make things worse, he saw a guymelef step out of it and into the cave.  Allen's voice came in over the com-pipes. "Are you in position, Gaddes?" he asked.  

            He grabbed the pipe and shot into it.  "Aye, captain.  We're right around the side of the mountain.  It's a good thing Chid lent us those soldiers, there's a ton of troops down there."  He looked out again.  They had noticed the Crusade, and were rushing to the intercept point where it would land.  "You ready for disembark, Captain?"

            The voice came in from the other side of the pipe.  "Yes.  Go ahead and open the bay doors, Gaddes."  Gaddes turned back to the controls and flipped a switch that caused the bay doors below to open up.  The Scherezade, Allen's personal Guymelef, stepped out and with a leap, fell towards the cliff below. It landed in a crouching position, scattering the soldiers from it, and then stood up and advanced into the cave, after the other Guymelef.  Gaddes watched it go in, wishing his Captain luck.  He then spoke into the com-pipe again and spoke into it, addressing everyone on board.  "All hands, prepare for combat!  We'll be landing shortly and there's a not-so-welcome reception for us."  With that, he turned his attention back to piloting, and brought the ship in for a landing.

            Van stood ready at the door, alongside the other members of the Crusade.  Truth be told, he didn't want to be here, he felt he wasn't ready yet for combat.  Allen had persuaded him not to go out in the Escaflowne, because the enemy was sure to have their own Guymelef they were going to use to retrieve the Dragon Armor.  So, Allen went off to get it, and possibly fight off the enemy armor.  Van in the meantime, was to help defend the Crusade alongside its crew members.  Allen had enough confidence in Van's fighting ability to do this, though Van wished he himself had that same confidence.  The doors opened, and they all rushed out to the fray.

            Scherezade stepped through the opening of the cave, scanning the cave.  Straight ahead of him, he spotted two Guymelefs, one sitting on a throne, the other picking it up to move it.  Scherezade stepped forward and drew its sword.  "Back away from that armor," Allen commanded, raising his sword.  The other guymelef, a black one, Allen noticed, paused and looked over at him.  

            "Well, it seems we have a new guest," The pilot said.  It slowly lowered the armor and turned to face Scherezade.  "This is an Atlantian affair, human.  You have no business here." It advanced toward him.  "I won't hesitate to fight you, human.  Now leave."  Allen frowned.  

            Scherezade stepped forward as well, going into a battle stance.  "I won't stand down.  Honor forbids it." He then dropped his voice slightly.  "And I know what you plan to do with that, Draconian."

            At that, the other pilot laughed.  "Do you?  I somehow doubt it."  The guymelef reached up behind his back, grasping something.  "But if you to duel, as honor would demand, far be it from me to back down."  He then drew a dagger from his back, then with a hiss, the blade extended, becoming a long sword.  Allen then realized what he was dealing with; this was a dragon armor, and he was fighting an Atlantian.  Still, he couldn't let this man walk away with the guymelef.  Allen prepared himself for the encroaching battle.

            The man beside Allen's opponent shouted up to the armor, however.  "Ryoji, stop this!!  We have no time for trivial fights!"  The pilot of the armor seemed to disagree with the other man, as he laughed again and folded his arms up, so that his sword was horizontally parallel with his chest.  Allen frowned; he had never encountered this fighting stance before.  Still, he knew better than to let his opponent attack first, so he threw all his strength into his first charge.  

Takashi expected the attack and quickly stepped backward just as his opponent brought the blade up.  It was mere inches from his face, and Takashi quickly thrust his own sword forward to the enemy.  He saw it coming, however, and quickly stepped to the side, while he brought his sword up and slashed vertically.  Takashi leaned away from the slash and brought his own sword down for another blow.  His study of kendo had served him well, though he had no idea he would ever actually use it.  It had been for sport for him.  His enemy was becoming more aggressive, now though.  He had Takashi on the defensive, raining down blows that Takashi was matching almost too slowly.  It was time to switch tactics.

Allen quickened his strikes, swinging each blow in rapid succession.  He had backed up Ryoji into a corner and continued to strike at him.  He was confidant he would win this match.  He was bout to strike Ryoji's sword out of his hand, when the other guymelef struck out, changing Allen's attack into a defending maneuver.  Before Allen had a chance to counter attack, the dragon armor rammed him, launching him away.  Allen shook off the momentary grogginess, then looked up and saw something that made him gape.  The enemy guymelef had taken on a new stance.  This time he held his sword pointed straight out, feet planted close together, while his left hand was raised into the air.  Allen had never seen this style either.  What did it mean for him?

Van fought off another opponent, and watched the cave carefully.  Why had Allen not come out yet?  Had he started a battle?  Was he fighting at this moment?  Allen could get out of it, right?  What if he couldn't?  Van considered going back into the ship and using the Escaflowne to give Allen a hand, but rethought it almost immediately.  More than likely he would only get in Allen's way.  But the more he thought about it, the more worried he got.  What if Allen was fighting the person who had destroyed Freid?  If that were the case, Allen would need a hand.  Van was thinking about this so hard he hadn't noticed the soldier behind him almost cut him in half.  The blood filled gurgle he made as a flying knife tore into his throat alerted Van to his presence.  The soldier slumped down, the knife sticking out of his voice box.  With a terrified look at the gruesome sight, Van turned back and looked at Teo, who had brought his hand back up and give Van a grin.  "Try to stay more alert, Van.  Allen'd be pissed if we let you die on the battle field."  He then turned his attention back to the fight.  Van just nodded dumbly.  Maybe it wasn't a good idea to hang around these men for too long, either.

Scherezade stood up and twirled it's sword around to get a better grip.  The other guymelef was still standing in that odd form.  Allen knew he was dealing with an experienced swordsman, here, so he had to be more cautious here on out.  He slowly began to circle around.  The other armor followed suite, circling in the opposite direction.  Allen watched his enemy carefully. He looked for an opening, but saw none.  This enemy was perfectly alert.  Allen decided the only way to get an opening was to make one.  Thinking quickly, he dashed in and brought his blade up.  The enemy quickly slanted his own sword across his chest, preparing for the strike.  Bingo.  Allen quickly let off his feint and swung his sword around to the other guymelef's exposed side.  The enemy deflected it, but not fast enough to stop it from damaging him.  The sword sank in and wounded the metal.  Allen could hear the pilot gasp slightly in pain.  It seemed this suit had the same flaw the Escaflowne's did.  This gave Allen some heart.  Maybe he could pull out of this after all.  

Takashi winced from the impact of the blow.  A second later he gasped in pain.  Looking down at his side, his eyes widened in amazement.  A small trickle of blood was making a growing spot on his clothing.  He smirked.  So what Belshezaar said was true.  The armor and the pilot were linked.  When on got hurt, the other did as well.  This didn't change much, it just meant that he'd have to do better.  He looked up as the other pilot brought his sword around for a hard swing.  Takashi gracefully stepped in close, catching Allen off guard.  Swinging his sword from one hand to the other, he struck out at the confused pilot.  Clearly the people of this planet had never seen fencing before, or else Allen would have reacted accordingly to such a maneuver.  While kendo was more traditional and he had entered it only for fun, his father had insisted that a man of class know how to fence.  Takashi had soon grown to like the style, because of the elegant grace it gave to its students.  Allen had launched into a quick volley of strikes, trying the same maneuver.  Takashi was ready this time.  It was why he had switched styles.  Kendo relied on strength and power, while fencing made use of speed and agility.  He quickly turned away all of Allen's blows, and managed to graze Scherezade's shoulder.  The cloak bore a wide rip in it from Takashi's blade.  Allen retreated a few steps and looked down at the wound.  "Hmph," he thought with a wry smile.  This guy was the first person to actually score a hit on him aside from Van.  "Maybe it's time I stopped fooling around," he said to himself.  

            Allen quickly flipped his sword around, and with a speed unlike that he bore earlier, he lunged at Takashi.  The fierceness of the attack surprised him.  He was quickly put on the defensive once more.  Breaking off, he quickly countered Allen's offensive, only to discover the knight was no longer in front of him.  Somehow he had moved around beside him.  Takashi's quick reflexes were what kept him from loosing the fight right there.  The two locked swords, and strained their power against each other.  Allen did something Takashi didn't expect, though.  Bringing his fist up, he slammed it into Agamemnon's chest.  Takashi was momentarily stunned, and Allen stuck with all his might against the armor's chest piece.  Takashi leaned away, dodging the blow, but once again with that incredible speed, Allen swung the flat of the blade straight into Agamemnon's stomach, knocking it off its feet.  "Dammit!!" Takashi shrieked as his guymelef toppled.

           Scherezade advanced forward, prepared to finish the fight, when suddenly Allen discovered the joints had locked up.  Allen pumped the harness controls as much as possible, but Scherezade refused to obey his commands.  It was then he heard the other man speak.  "Ryoji, I have him.  You need to take the dragon armor and load it onto the ship."

            Agamemnon got up and swung its head to the other's direction.  "You should stay out of this, Daedalus!!" Takashi roared.  "This is my battle!"  The other man, Daedalus, merely shook his head.

            "You're battle is unimportant and finished.  It's obvious this one is better than you are," he said.  After a moment of thought, he corrected himself. "That this human is better than you are."  This invoked a feral growl from Takashi.  "Now, go over there and take the armor, and load it into the ship, understand?"  His tone indicated Daedalus would take no more backtalk.  Why wouldn't Scherezade move!?

            Agamemnon turned back to Scherezade and stared at him for a moment.  Allen could feel the hatred emanating from behind the guymelef's facemask.  Without a word, its blade retracted and Takashi slammed it back into its holding place on the guymelef's back.  Storming past the frozen Scherezade, he marched over to the Yggdrasil, hoisted it up, and carried it outside to the awaiting airship.  The other man walked past Allen's guymelef, and went straight out, following the retreating dragon armor.  Before he left, he turned back to Scherezade.  "I must congratulate you.  I've never seen a human with your skill before.  Maybe our path's will cross again, and I shall be the one to fight you."

            "Maybe," Allen said simply.  The other man smirked, and then left.  

* * * *

            Hitomi had been watching the battle outside for some time, while Merle cheered Van on.  "Yay!!  Go Van-sama!!  Kick those soldier's butts!!"  She grinned fiendishly and twitched her tale back and forth.  "Wow, he's doing great!  Those lessons from Allen came in handy, didn't they Hitomi?"  She looked over at the brown headed girl.  "Hitomi?" Merle asked again.  Hitomi was watching the battle in a detached manner.  Her mouth was slightly open, and her eyes were half open.  Merle crept over and waved a hand in front of Hitomi's face.  "Hello?  Hitomi?" she said.

            But Hitomi wasn't listening.  She was watching the battle unfold.  She saw Van fighting, then saw a monstrous shape emerge from the cave.  It's serpentine neck outstretched, and it roared with a tremendous ferocity.  Everyone turned to see the black dragon emerge from the cave.  Its wings flapped, and the reptilian head bobbed around the battle field looking for something.  It came to rest on Van, and its eyes narrowed.  With another roar, it made its way to Van, who was paralyzed by it.  It came to a halt before him, then with a quick strike of its head, it lunged at Van.  The young king only had time to widen his eyes before his life was cut off.  He collapsed in a puddle of his own blood, his head nowhere in sight.  The black dragon licked its lips and then spread its wings and gave another furious roar.  

            Hitomi came to with a start.  Van was going to die out there unless Hitomi could warn him.  She pushed past Merle who gave a cry, then watched Hitomi run off.  She jogged through the hallways of the Crusade.  Coming to a stop in front of the doors, she looked around for some type of device to open it.  Seeing nothing, she began to panic, and hit the door several times trying to get it to open.  Dammit, she didn't have time for this!  Van would die in a few moments if she couldn't do anything to stop it!  In frustration, she kicked the bay door, and to her surprise, it opened.  Had she not been so focused on her mission, she would have noticed that Merle had opened it up from the bridge.  She dashed out, and was greeted to a sight that caused a blade of ice to strike her heart.  Coming out of the cave was a guymelef carrying the dragon armor they were after.  However, it wasn't the fact Allen had failed that filled her with fear.  It was the fact that the dragon armor was being carried by a black guymelef, similar to the Escaflowne.  Takashi had followed them to Gaea.

            Agamemnon stepped out into the daylight again to be greeted with a sight he hadn't expected.  The soldiers from Fanelia Daedalus had brought were engaged in a fight with the troops from the other airship.  He looked around amid the chaos going on and saw something that made his day.  There, in his line of sight, was Van.  He owed that boy a thing or two, and now was the time to collect.  He grinned malevolently as he focused his energy on his ring.  If what that girl had said was true, then Van had no memory of anything, including the fact that he could fly.  He'd send Van straight off the cliff, careening to a death on the plains below.  Takashi couldn't think of a better death for the young boy.  He glared at Van, directing his power at him with everything he could muster.

            Hitomi felt something stirring in the cockpit of Takashi's armor.  She didn't know what he was up to, but she knew that he was aiming it straight at Van.  Thinking quickly, she dashed straight at him.  He looked at her incredulously as she dashed up to him.  Throwing her full weight into her strides, she leapt at him.  Time seemed to slow to a crawl.  A gust of wind erupted from Takashi, heading straight for Van.  She was leaping at him, shoving him out of the way.  He fell for what seemed like an eternity, until his head finally hit the ground.  She was hit with the blast intended for Van, and she felt it pushing her for miles, until it knocked her off the cliff.  She heard Takashi scream a curse, and the fighting around them stop, as everyone watched her fall off the cliff.  In panic, she flung out a hand, hoping, praying someone would catch it.  But she was too far away from the side of the cliff.  With a cry, she called out to Van, hoping he would hear her.  He dashed to cliff. "HITOMI!!!" he yelled, trying to catch her outstretched hand.  But the distance between them was far too great.  He watched her panic stricken face plummet away from him, as she fell like a rock.  He looked uncertain for a split second, then leaped off the cliff after her, arms to the sides so that he shot towards her like a bullet.  He had let go of all rational thought now.  All that mattered was saving her.  He had managed to catch up to her now, and righted himself as he took her in his arms.  Without a second thought, the back of his shirt tore open as two pure white wings unfolded from his back.  He used them to soar back up, and gently alighted on the cliff face.  

            Hitomi cautiously opened her eyes and looked around.  She then realized what had happened and who was holding her and she gasped.  He put her down, and she backed away from him a little, to get a good look at him.  His wings were outstretched, and he was smiling at her.  She smiled back.  He looked like the Van she knew this way, and could have spent forever looking at him.  His expression soon changed though, from one of joy and assurance, to one of shock and fear.  Looking at his back, he gasped seeing the wings extending out of them.  He looked back at her with panic in his eyes.  "What…?" he simply asked.  Hitomi tried to walk to him.  She was afraid this would happen.  He backed away from her, however.  She tried to advance more, but a rough arm had pulled her back.  

Looking up at who it was, she saw one of Chid's guards glaring daggers at Van.  "Don't get too close to him miss," he said, never taking his eyes off of Van, who looked more confused and scared by the moment.  "He's a Draconian monster, one of the ones who destroyed our city!"  At this, he pointed his spear at Van, who took another step back.  

"That's ridiculous," Hitomi protested, trying to break free of the guard's iron grip.  It wasn't any use, however.  "Van's no monster!  He's the king of Fanelia!  He saved Gaea!"  The guard remained unswayed, however.  And to Hitomi's fear, the other Freid guards had drawn their weapons and were advancing on Van.

"He is a monster, look!" he exclaimed, pointing at Van's wings.  Van looked back at his wings again fearfully.  "He bears the wings of a demon!!  The same ones the attacker who destroyed Freid bore!  He's a Draconian, and we have no idea what he'll do to us!!"

By now, the other guards were awfully close to Van, who had reached the edge of the cliff.  The Crusade's crew were trying to stop the guards, but they wouldn't listen.  They were all exclaiming how Van was a demon, a draconian monster.  A filthy beast who would kill them all.  Van was a wreck by now, and before the guards had a chance to do anything, he gave an ear-splitting cry and launched himself off the cliff, soaring away from the enraged guards.  "No!!" Hitomi yelled, finally breaking away from the guard.  She ran to cliff face.  "Van!" she called out to his retreating form.  "Van come back!  Plaease!!" she cried.  As his winged form grew smaller and eventually disappeared, she slumped to the ground in despair.  "Van…" she said to herself.  

But it was too late.  He was gone.  

* * * *

Let's see, I wonder what kind of torment I can inflict on these people for the **_next chapter?  Maybe I'll have Van committed.  Nah, a nut house is too good for him.  Well, anyway, now you can see why it took me so long to update, so I hope you enjoyed it._**

Gobano: Hah!!  You liar!  You only wrote the damn thing tonight! 

Didn't I tell you before to shut. **_UP!!?_**

Gobano:  Bring me some blood sacrifices and maybe I'll do so.

All I've got is this bag of skittles.  

Gobano: **_SKITTLES!!!? How long must you haunt meeeeeeeeeee!!!!!?_**

Okay…  So anyway, stay tuned for more of the story!  Bye-ee!!


	10. An intermission, I suppose

We interrupt this fanfiction to bring you this important Bulletin.

          Shen here.  I must say that I am totally amazed at how popular my story is among all of you Escaflowne fans.  It was just something I started writing because I thought Esca needed more… well, just more of Esca.  If that makes any sense…

Audience: *Blank stare*….

Shen: Eh heh heh…Right.  So anyway, I just wanted everyone to know why I haven't been writing recently.  Well, it's the government.  And Sunrise.  See, they're part of a joint conspiracy out to quelsh the creativity of young minds.  And to force those young minds to buy X-boxes.  Yes, X-boxes.  It turns out the friggin things are that big for a reason.  They're filled with pure evil, and contain devices which warp a child's mind into liking such things as "Canned Cheese" and "Spam"…. *shivers*

Gobano: LIES!!!  ALL LIES!!  The **_HUman merely decided that porn and chicken was a better waste of time!!  He's a pervert, and fattens himself on the crusty breaded meats of greasy poultry!  _**

Shen: Hey!!  Fried Chicken is good!  And I do NOT look at porn!

Gobano: Oh no?  Then what's **_THIS!!!? *whips out a magazine that says "I am l33t pr0n.  Ph33r m3."  And has a crudely drawn female on it*_**

Shen: …. That's a pathetic excuse for magazine you cut out of some cardboard boxes.

Gobano: YOU MAY HAVE WON THE BATTLE NOW, PUNY SHEN-THING, BUT ONE DAY **_IWILL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH, AND YOU SHALL SUFFER SCREAMING DOOMY _****_DOOM!!!_**

****

Shen: Yeah, anyway, what I really want to say is that I haven't stopped the story.  Due to school and the fact that I haven't watched Escaflowne for quite some time, my creativity is in a bit of a rut, and I don't want the next chapter to be garbage.  So, until I get Escaflowne and watch it again (which will be on my next paycheck, hopefully…) to kick start my creativity again, I'll have to keep the story on a temporary hiatus.  But that just means it'll be all the better once the next chapter right?  Right.  So in the meantime, I leave you with GIR.  GIR?

GIR: *falls down from the ceiling* HI!!!!

Shen: Enjoy.


	11. The Path You Walk

I LIVE!!  I BREATH!!!  I…. smell like crap.  My entire apartment/account/whatever, which included my SHOWER was blown to smithereens thanks to Gobano and his discovery of gas lines and fire combinations…

Gobano: HA!!  I laugh at your misfortunes, pi-ti-ful **HU-man!!  Here I go!  HAHAHAHAHAHHHHH!!!**

…. I hate you.  Anyway, that's the reason I haven't updated recently.  In between trying to unsuccessfully find a shower to use, I constructed a crude computer using a potato, a light bulb, and a wedge of three week old cheese.  

Gobano: Yes, that's right!! WALLOW IN THE HUMAN MISERY!!!!

*draws Onimaru* You're getting your wings clipped, bat-b-

*a knock comes from the door*

Um…  Come in?

*Tennyo Angel breaks down the door w/Van in tow carrying a rather large boackpack*

Tennyo: HI SHEN!!!

Uh, hi?  What are you doing here, Tennyo?

Tennyo: I'm here for the Freid Guards!!  The ones I asked you to hold for me?☻

Oh yeah, them.  They're in the back room.  Go nuts.

Tennyo: Thank, don't mind if I do.  VAN!!!  LET'S GO!!!!

Van: *sigh* Yes, Tennyo.  If I were you, Shen, I'd get at least a fifty mile radius between you and here.  Collateral Damage, and all…

Noted!  Gobano, hold down the fort, I'll be back soon.

Gobano: Bring me back some sheep, OR I'LL ROAST YOU ALIVE!!!!!

Whatever.

                                                     * * * *

                                      The Vision of Escaflowne: Reuinion

                                                      Chapter 10

          Van counted again how long he had been gone.  Four weeks.  He had been wandering for a month with no direction whatsoever.  All because of these damn wings on his back.  Ever since he had sprouted them to save Hitomi, they had stayed out.  Van didn't know where they had come from, much less how to put them back.  Besides, he wasn't entirely sure things would improve if he could.  Even if they were gone, he would still know they were there.  And it didn't change the fact that he was a Draconian.  A member of a race which had razed Freid.  Did that make him a demon as well?  He didn't see any way that it didn't.  

          Every town Van had approached, he tried desperately to get someone to help him.  But he was shocked when he realized that what was coming out of his mouth wasn't the language he was used to hearing.  No, instead, it was some mangled jargon he had never heard before.  Another thing he couldn't understand, much less stop.  Sometimes he found himself wondering if all this was real.  That perhaps he was asleep somewhere and this was some hellish nightmare he had yet to awake from.  But then he would see the terrified faces, hear the curses and screams aimed at him, and feel the rotten fruit and stones that were hurled at him and broke his skin.  His clothes were tattered and soggy, bogged down with refuse that he hadn't the will to clean off.  

          But the worst came several days ago.  He had been unfortunate enough to arrive at a town where guards were about in the marketplace.  As soon as he set foot in the city looking, _pleading someone to help him, the people became a mass of fear and outrage, as they realized a demon had set foot in their own personal comfort zones.  The city guards where quick to act, overpowering him as soon he found himself tied down in the streets, pleading the people to let him go.  It had no effect.  Why should it?  He was speaking in a language his own ears couldn't understand.  If Van's own auditory senses couldn't make heads or tails of what he was saying, how could they be expected to?  For all they knew, he was cursing them, or speaking some incantation that would bring the walls around these people topple down on their heads._

          Van had been dragged to the city square, for an execution on the spot.  No trial, just the headsman's block.  Knowing what was coming, Van tried to resist, but it did him no good.  Several guards lay hands on him, and in desperation, he cried aloud.  Then something happened.  Van's ropes burst, and the guards who had laid their hands on him suddenly found there arms clove from their bodies by the air around them.  Van watched in abject horror as their blood splattered on his face.  The crowd watched breathlessly for a moment, including the soldiers who had just lost their arms.  Then all hell broke loose when the guards screamed in pain, their reflexes catching up with their brains.  People fled everywhere at once, ignoring the guards' pleas, and Van took to the skies, leaving behind the cries and screams and everthing.

          Since then he avoided any towns he came to, for fear of the incident repeating.  His meandering from place to place was like reflex now; he couldn't stop it, he just mechanically kept moving.  How long did he have to go through this?  When would this torment that plagued his every waking hour end?

                                                          * * * *

          Two hours.  For two hours there had been no movement.  The man had just sat there in that same pose: Hands folded beneath his nose; that focused contemplative look on his face.  He was like a statue.  Anteus was getting tired of it.  He had come here to see his new armor, the jade monstrosity upon which he now sat, observing the white-haired man below him.  This was getting boring, all things considered.  He shifted slightly, hoping the white haired man was going to do something, and do it soon.  

          "How long do you plan on watching me?" 

          The sudden question jolted Anteus.  It was spoken quietly, but since the armor chamber was like a massive cavern, it reverberated quite loudly.  Taking a moment to compose himself, Anteus rolled over to look at the man below him.  He hadn't move from his spot, so Anteus wondered if he had just imagined it.  

          "Are you going to answer me, or are you just pretending you didn't hear me?" the white-haired man asked.  I guess that answered Anteus' question.

          Dropping down from his perch, the young boy looked at the older man rather warily.  He got the feeling making a mistake around this person could be fatal.  The man's eyes were looking right at him, but refused to acknowledge him.  That didn't settle Anteus' nerves, however.

          "What are you doing here?" the man asked from under his hands.  "Children have no business in the armor hall." All this without a hint of emotion.  He could've been talking to himself, for all it seemed.

          Anteus' eyebrows drew down.  He hated being called a child.  "I was just admiring my new suit of armor.  You came in and caught me off guard.  So I watched you to see what you were doing."  The man's eyes took some slight notice of Anteus now.  The boy noticed saw that his eyes were two different colors.  It made Antues all the more on edge.

          "_Your_** armor?" The man asked slowly.  This obviously surprised him.  It gave Anteus a bit of confidence.  **

          "Yes, **_MY _**armor," Anteus replied, his courage bolstered with every word.  "The key Energist we recovered reacted to my energy, and since it responds to this armor, that makes it mine." He finished, having grown bolder the longer he went on.  "And just what are **_you_** doing in here?  This room is forbidden to those who aren't able to manipulate the dragon armor."

          The man did not reply, merely shifted his eyes upwards.  Anteus followed his gaze, to see the massive suit of armor behind the man.  His courage left almost all at once.  That was the Agamemnon, the armor that had come from the mystic moon!!  Then that meant that… "Y… you're the one from the mystic moon, then?  The one everyone's talked about?"

          At that statement, the man's eyes narrowed dangerously.  "What about me has everyone talking?" He said quietly.

          Despite himself, Anteus took a step backwards.  Raising his hands, he quickly tried to defend himself.  "Uh, nothing!!  I was just making that part up!"  No one's said anything about you, honest!!"  He inhaled sharply when the other man closed his eyes.  Then without a word, he got up and strode right past Anteus.

          Right before he left, he addressed Anteus while facing the door.  "Since we'll be going into battle from now on, it's only natural I know your name."

          This caught the boy off guard.  "Uh…  Anteus.  It's Anteus Adelphos." He said, managing not to stammer.

          "Anteus…" The other man said.  "My name is Ryoji Takashi, Anteus."  He said.  "And by the way, next time someone says "nothing" about me, please let me know."  With that, he left the armor chamber.

                                                          * * * *

          It was raining.  It seemed to be raining more than usual now.  Van staggered onward, not knowing, nor caring where he was going.  All he knew was that he couldn't stop.  No place was safe, for him or those he encountered.  When his legs ached to the point where they couldn't move any longer, his wings carried him.  And when he flew until he could fly no longer, he would switch back to walking.  His rest was little and fitful when he slept.  He'd always see those guards whose arms he had torn apart.  Or other times he might see others who he'd kill in the same manner.  It got to the point where Van was afraid to sleep, for fear of seeing himself kill another person.  The screams hounded him constantly, whether they were memories of those he had tried asking for help, or his own when awoke from his nightmares.  

          Furthermore, he could find little to eat.  Water usually wasn't a problem, but at times he was tortured by the ache in his belly.  He would sometimes eat roots or any small game he could manage to catch, but it only lessened his hunger, never got rid of it.  At times he felt he would pass out from the hunger, but his fear of what he would see should he pass out drove him onward.  

          "Why are you doing this to yourself?"  Van heard someone say.  He didn't look around see who.  He didn't really care.  He just wanted to keep moving.  The voice, whoever it was however, didn't seem to mind this fact.  "Are you afraid, Van?"

          Van was dripping wet and exhausted.  And while he didn't particularly feel like having a conversation, his brain had apparently chosen otherwise.  "Afraid?" He rasped.  Was his throat really that raw?  "Yes, I'm afraid.  After what I've seen myself do, why wouldn't I be afraid?"

          "Ah," the voice replied.  "And what exactly was it that you did?"  

          Van tiredly continued this conversation with a disembodied voice.  "I hurt two guards.  Maybe killed them.  His eyes twitched slightly recalling the memory.

          "So this is about hurting two innocent people, then?" The voice asked in an understanding tone.  Van felt his movements slowing.  His body was slowly giving out again.  Van pressed himself to continue going.  "And you did this on purpose, then?"  It asked nonchalantly.

          Van's vision was becoming black around the edges.  "Yes…. No." He replied.  "I… I didn't want… to hurt them." He said weakly.  "It just happened.  I don't know how… but it did."

          The voice was silent for a moment.  It was almost as if it were considering something.  "Van, let me ask you; does hurting them by accident make you seem like a monster?"

          "Well, I…" Van said.  His movement became even slower.  It wouldn't be long now.  "I was becoming angry because of the way I was being treated.  When I was tied up like a beast, I…" Van's steps had practically stopped now.  He stood in the rain, panting.  Before the voice could speak to Van again, the young draconian keeled over into the mud beneath him.

                                                          * * * *

          Van heard someone calling him.  He slowly opened his eyes, and awoke to see… nothing.  He was in a black void, with nothing for miles around.  He stood up and saw a taller blue haired man before him.  It was the same one who had been in his dream in Fanelia.  Folken, the man had said his name was.  Van felt a surge of anger well up in him at the sight of this man.

          "You knew, didn't you?" Van said accusingly.  "You knew what I was!  That's why you showed me those images from Atlantis, because I was a draconian!!"  The man said nothing.  He only looked at Van sadly, which aggravated Van even more.  "Say something, Dammit!!" He roared.

          Folken observed Van for a moment before answering.  "Van, why are you so upset about being what you are?" he asked softly.  It didn't serve to quell Van's fury.  Only ignite it even more.

          "Why am I upset?" the young man repeated Folken's question incredulously.  "Why shouldn't I be upset!?  I'm a demon!  One of the monsters who destroyed Atlantis!!  You told me yourself!"

          Folken sighed slightly.  "I see," came his reply.  He slowly turned and began to walk away.  Van couldn't believe this!  Rage fit to boil over, he stalked after the taller man, having not finished what he started.  He was surprised to see Folken had stopped and was gazing ahead.  They had apparently stopped at a forest clearing, where the path the two were walking on abruptly split.  Folken was looking at the intersection when he looked back at Van.

          "Van, look at these two paths," he said.  Van did as he was told, not entirely sure why.  "What do you believe lies at the end of them?"

          Van shook his head.  "I don't know," he replied.  "The only way to find out would be to walk down them, I supposed."  He wasn't entirely sure where the older man was going with this.

          Folken looked back at the two paths.  "You're correct Van," he said.  "The only way to find out what lies at the end of this path is to walk down them."  He then turned his gaze towards Van.  "You stand at a crossroads like this one, you know."

          Van was a bit taken aback by this.  "What do you mean?"

          Folken looked again at the crossroads before replying.  "Right now you don't know whether you're a draconian or a human."  He said.  It was statement more than question.

          "I… suppose so…" Van replied rather uncertainly.  He had thought he was human, but not anymore.  How could he be, if he had these wings?

          "Van, always remember that the path you walk depends on which one you take."  Folken began walking down one of the paths.  "One will take you to one location, and the other to a different one.  But you are the only one who can decide which path you want to walk on.  You should keep that in mind."  With that Folken disappeared, leaving Van to ponder over the meaning of his words.

                                                          * * * *

          Takashi found himself in the castle's library.  He had come here at least once a week since he had arrived on Gaea.  He found reading to be a calming pastime, and he could certainly use some calming.  Ever since that arrogant bastard Daedalus had called him a half-breed, he found his mind wandering.  Was he truly half human?  Takashi had no other Atlanteans to compare himself to, so he had no way of knowing.  Giving _The History of Atlantis and its Glorious People_ half an eye, he pondered over this strange epiphany.  It was true he was different than other Atlanteans he had seen thus far.  He was a bit more hot blooded, as he had noted during his battle with that other warrior.  The others all displayed an air of calmness and control.  Furthermore, he found he lacked ample control over his powers.  At times it seemed as though they weren't there, no matter how often he tried to summon them from his inner depths.  Other times, it was all he could do to keep from crushing everything around him.  As far as the others were concerned, they never showed that kind of problem.  This was truly a quandary.

          His musings were cut short when he heard the door of the library open to permit a young female around Takashi's age.  She had raven black hair flowing down her back, and an olive complexion.  Her lavender eyes were very sharp, the type to book no nonsense, and her face seemed cold enough to freeze a raging fire silent in less than a second.  Her name was Olympia, and Takashi stepped lightly around her.  Along with the rest of the Atlanteans…

          Taking note of Takashi, Olympia sniffed.  "And what brings you here today, Ryoji?" she asked in her usual superior attitude.  She didn't seem to care for Takashi's answer, since she set down some maps and a few books on the table, and seated herself, quickly flipping open one of the volumes and skimming through it while checking the nearby maps periodically.

          Takashi watched her with a bit of interest, as she continued her retinue of scholarly activities.  Takashi found out from the others that Olympia was sort of the intelligence leader of the group of Atlanteans.  She spent most of her time searching for the whereabouts of the Dragon Armors and key energists.  It was Olympia who had discovered two of the Dragon Armors they currently had in possession, as well as three key energists needed to power them.  As a result, though, she had little patience with anyone aside from Belshezzar, and even then she was very trite with him.  She always sounded as if she were explaining things in the simplest terms to a bunch of pre-schoolers, and quite frankly, it grated Takashi a bit.  He didn't care to be talked down to.  Still, this woman held influence.  Almost as much as Daedalus, as a matter of fact.  Making her angry would cause quite a step back in his plans.  Leaning over to get a better look at what held her attention, he noticed she was studying maps of Bashram, both old and new ones.  It would make sense that she would have such easy access to those.  She was posing as a royal adviser to the Royal Court of Bashram.

          "Is there something I can help you with, or do you enjoy looking down my blouse?" She asked in a flat monotone, clearly indicating that Takashi's reasons were the ones stated.  She hadn't even bothered to look up from her maps!!  Takashi looked at her sideways, then returned to his previous position.

          "So what exactly are you doing now, Olympia?"  He asked, though he already knew the answer.  Olympia never really seemed to do much aside from search for the armors, anyway.

          "You know perfectly well what," she said, eyes glued to her maps and documents.  "So I see no reason to answer, unless you're trying to prove you have the intellect of a two year old."  Despite himself, Takashi found that his eyelids narrowed a fraction.  Contemptible bitch.  "And if you wouldn't mind, I'd prefer to do so in solitude.  I spend enough time around idiots and fools, thank you."

          Takashi made ready to do just that, finding himself ridiculed enough for one day, when he thought of something.  In the last fight, he noticed Van's armor had a design that nearly matched his.  Could that mean that Van was in possession of a Dragon Armor as well?  The idea was rather intriguing.  And he had the Atlantean's top bloodhound right here, so what better chance to verify his suspicion?  Placing his hand down and leaning close to her, Takashi asked, as sweetly as he could muster, "Olympia, do you think you could check something for me?"

          She finally looked up from her maps to give him an irritated look.  "I really don't have time for this, Ryoji."  She growled.  Takashi however, wasn't swayed.

          He gave Olympia a slight smile.  "It's about one of the Dragon Armors.  I believe I have a pretty fair idea where it might be located."  She protested again, and was met with more persistence, and finally agreed, just to get him out of her hair.  "That better," Takashi oozed, relishing the fact he managed to get under her skin.  "The armor should be somewhere near the vicinity of Freid."

          She gave him another feral look, then quickly pulled out a map of the aforementioned country and began to dowse.  It wasn't even a minute before she came out of her trance with a gasp.  "You were right Ryoji," she said grudgingly.  "There's a Dragon Armor as well as a key energist in the immediate vicinity of the country."  Takashi smiled quietly in triumph.  "But how did you know there would be one there?"  She asked suspiciously.  

          Takashi stood up and began to walk out of the library, already planning out a scheme to retrieve the Dragon Armor and key energist.  Before he left he said with a small laugh, "Oh, just a lucky guess, I suppose."

                                                          * * * *

To quote a friend of mine, "Holy Sweet Bacon!!!"  While you guys could probably guess this was a filler installment, I found it quite a good one!  Will Takashi claim the Escafowne!?  Will Folken be able to help Van recover from the shock of learning he's a Draconian?  Will Van himself be able to stop having psychedelic and possibly naughty sexual dreams of his older brother!?!

Van:  Probably not as long as I hang around with Tennyo, I'm not.

Van? *blinks*  When did you get here?

Van: About two paragraphs ago.  Tennyo broke out the rusty chainsaws, and I was getting hungry.

So…. How much of my apartment did she trash in the process?

Van: Let me put it this way: What apartment?

Ah.

Van: Goodburger?

Please.               


End file.
